Culture

Culture shapes how cities grow and connect. Embedding cultural heritage, creativity, and local identity in urban planning strengthens community ownership, fosters inclusive public spaces, and supports sustainable lifestyles that value both people and place.

Culture is the heartbeat of a city and a foundation for sustainable urban transformation. It shapes how people interact with spaces, preserves identity and heritage, and drives creativity and innovation. Integrating cultural assets into urban planning reinforces community pride, fosters inclusive growth, and enhances the sense of belonging that makes cities unique. Culturally informed urban design can also boost local economies and tourism while strengthening the social fabric that underpins resilience.

 

Explore more resources in the GPSC Digital Library, featuring case studies, toolkits, and technical guidance from cities around the world. Use the filters and categories to navigate by theme or topic and find content tailored to your city’s priorities.

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Supporting Green Infrastructure Planning in Cities: Tools, Data Needs, and City Perspectives

31 March - 31 March 2026, 8:30 EDT

Background Introduction Agenda Presentation Recording The Urban Nature Program , co-led by the World Bank through its Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC), with support from the GEF, UNEP, and ICLEI, aims to scale up financing to help cities and sub-national governments implement actions
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Culture

Orange is the new colour of city competitiveness: The role of local governments in promoting cultural and creative industries

Cities have the power to stimulate and harness culture, creativity and innovation for local development. Culture and creativity are invaluable assets with untapped potential to deliver spatial
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Culture

Culture in City Reconstruction and Recovery

As urban growth and development continue at a breathtaking pace across the world, cities are increasingly bearing the brunt of conflicts, crises and disasters, which themselves are growing in number
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Culture

Uzbekistan: Resilient Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Development

In Uzbekistan, authorities instituted strong health and social distancing measures in March to contain local transmission of COVID-19, with national and international flights being cancelled. This has
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