Culture in City Reconstruction and Recovery (CURE Framework)

Eparque partnered with the World Bank and UNESCO to develop CURE (Culture in City Reconstruction and Recovery), an approach to rebuilding cities after major disasters or conflicts that foregrounds culture and incorporation of the needs, values, and priorities of ordinary people. The CURE framework addresses the shortcomings of current reconstruction and recovery processes (e.g., disempowerment of those affected, damage to local economic structures by the infusion of outside aid) and enhances their effectiveness and sustainability through the valuing of local knowledge and the incorporation of local voices. Examples include redevelopment in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, where “forum theater”—theater performances in the local Aceh language—brought issues to the public’s attention and catalyzed discussions, and the rebuilding of the Mostar Bridge in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which brought together the people of the city of Mostar.