Culture is our habits and customs; the ideas and beliefs we hold in common; the behaviors through which we relate to each other; the lenses through which we see and understand ourselves, others, and our world; the patterns we follow as we go about our lives; the essence of what defines and binds us. So what does culture have to do with development? Everything.

For human development to be sustainable, for the people affected by change to have a meaningful voice in decision-making, and for the rights and needs of people to be incoroporated for a just outcome, cultural affairs must be at the center of the process. In more than thirty countries, on every contient, The Institute of Cultural Affairs serves as a guide through the complex terrain of this transformative journey.