Cultural as an engine of progress.

• Author: Conaway, Janelle
• Position: OAS - Brief Article

A NATION'S CULTURE not only helps shape its identity; it can a]so contribute to its economic health. In Mexico, a recent study found that culture accounts for 6.7 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

The hemisphere's ministers of culture, who met in Mexico City in August, called for the development of indicators to measure the social and economic impact of culture thoughout the region. They said they would move forward with the first phase of the Inter-American Cultural Policy Observatory, at initiative designed to facilitate information exchange among the member states, promote new research and study the contribution of the cultural sector.

During two days of discussions, the ministers and other high level cultural authorities looked at three central issues: culture as an engine...