Is Culture a Driver for Development?

For three decades the Aga Khan Trust for Culture has been refining methods to preserve cultural heritage and spur socio-economic development. It has implemented over 350 conservation projects, worked on 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, built or rehabilitated 10 major parks which have received over 50 million visitors, promoted creative industries and reached hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries through accompanying social initiatives. These projects have provided employment, vocational training, and financially sustainable management models for sites. Still, people question the role or value of cultural heritage in the wider context of development.