UNESCO and Italy sign agreement establishing a centre on cultural heritage, cultural policies and development

Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, and Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, have signed an agreement on the establishment of a centre in Turin (Italy) that will conduct research and training relating to the economics of cultural heritage and cultural policies for development.

Under the auspices of UNESCO, the International Training and Research Centre on the Economics of Culture and World Heritage (ITRECH) will assist the Organization in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and in its culture and development projects. It will place particular emphasis on the management of World Heritage properties and the economics of culture and urban development and will serve as a shared platform for the exchange and sharing of experiences and best practice among academics and educators.

In its work, the Centre will also address issues pertaining to environmental sustainability, cultural diversity, urbanization and the preservation of the identity of historic cities, heritage as a driver of cultural creativity and urban regeneration.

The agreement was signed in Rome on 16 February 2016.