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Paper short abstract

Cultural policy can play a role in peace building by preventing violence, fostering dialogue, and supporting conflict resolution through the arts. Stronger national and international policies are needed to link culture with peace and sustainable development.

Paper long abstract

The paper will explore the role of cultural policy as a strategic tool for peace building showing that culture should be more clearly integrated into national and international peace frameworks. While artists and cultural initiatives have long contributed to social cohesion and dialogue, cultural policy has rarely been systematically discussed as a mechanism for preventing violence and peace building.

The paper will situate peace building within a continuum that moves from violence prevention to peace building, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and ultimately a culture of peace. Cultural activities, such as community arts programs, music education initiatives and grassroots artistic practices, demonstrate how the arts can reduce vulnerability and increase dialogue. Despite this evidence, cultural professionals are often excluded from peace and security policy discussions, and cultural ministries rarely prioritise initiatives in contexts of violence.

At the international level, culture remains weakly connected to SDG 16, despite advocacy efforts to recognise culture as a transversal pillar of sustainable development or as an SDG in its own right. This paper will argue that clearer national cultural policies focused on a culture of peace are essential to strengthening local action and influencing global discussions. In a context of rising extremism and democratic erosion worldwide, integrating cultural policy into peace building is no longer a regional concern but a global necessity.