Culture and sustainable development : a subjective overview of the use of participatory engagement tools

The concept of sustainable development and the strategies of implementing sustainable development at the country, region and city level are not just empty words commonly used by politicians, public administration, or the media. The paper presents a long-standing global discussion on the concept itself and its main components. It also unfolds the increasingly intense attempts to devise strategies premised on sustainable development and to consider culture (in the very broad sense of the word) as the key determinant of development. This is illustrated by the description of the use of one of the tools of social participation - participatory engagement - based on case studies from the domain of culture