A new report from the World Bank has indicated a key factor in rebuilding cities hit by disaster is cultural cohesion, and recommends cities and countries invest in cultural cohesion and preservation, according to CityLab. Defining culture to include “art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions, and beliefs,” the report offers suggestions as to how to integrate culture into current planning that focuses on less abstract measures such as people and places, balanced with more basic needs during disaster recovery like shelter, food, and healthcare. During recovery, this cultural integration should also focus on sites which are of most importance to locals, with the report giving the example of the reconstruction of the Mostar Bridge after the Bosian War, or Medellin’s promotion of libraries, parks, arts, and public transportation to connect neighborhoods while trying to recover from the drug wars in the 1980s and 1990s.
Says Laura Tuck, vice-president for sustainable development at the World Bank, “While culture is essential both as an asset and a tool for city reconstruction and recovery, it is often left out or given limited consideration as part of these efforts.”
