The Creative Economy Report 2008

published May 7, 2008

"The Creative Economy Report 2008 - The challenge of assessing the creative economy towards informed policy-making" is the first comprehensive study to present the United Nations perspective on this emerging topic.

This policy-oriented analysis is intended to facilitate a better understanding of the key issues underlying the emerging creative economy at national and international levels.

It brings together contributions from five United Nations organizations, namely UNCTAD, UNDP UNESCO, WIPO and the International Trade Centre (ITC), in a joint endeavour to enhance policy coherence and international action in this area.

The development dimension is the guiding principle of this Report which aims to assist developing countries to harness their creative economies and to maximize trade and development gains by recognizing the creative economy as a feasible development option for linking economic, technological, social and cultural development objectives of our contemporary society.

The statistical annex presents first-hand trade data and pioneering analysis of international trade flows of creative goods and services in world markets.

The 350-pages Report recognizes that creativity and human talent are fast becoming powerful engines for economic growth and development, and calls for the adoption of effective cross-cutting mechanisms and concerted inter-ministerial policy action.