On 3-4 March, the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Switzerland met for the annual donor conference on culture and development in Oslo. The meeting concluded that:

• Culture plays a fundamental role in development and poverty reduction
• Culture is more than just a tool in development
• Donor coordination is important in the cultural field

The participants agreed to promote culture as a sector in its own right, in line with sectors such as health and education. The objective is to achieve a broader understanding of the role of culture in development and the fight against poverty, with a view to including culture in national plans and strategies for poverty reduction.

Press contact: Randi Bendiksen, tel. +47 22 24 36 66