Culture plays an essential role in the sustainable development of the global economy, Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, said on Wednesday at an international conference themed "Culture: key to sustainable development" in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

"There is no once and for all development mode. In the past two decades, we have seen many well-intended development programs. They failed because they failed to take cultural elements into consideration," she said, adding that culture is the best assessment for extensive and sustainable development.

Liu Yandong, vice-premier of the State Council, attended the opening ceremony. She said that China is always aware of the importance of developing culture.

She also called for the world to be open and respective to other cultures and reach out to each other.

The three-day conference will discuss cultural issues including culture's role in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, how culture makes a difference in peace and reconciliation and cultural approaches to poverty and local governance.

More than 500 delegates from 82 countries and regions and 26 international organizations attended the event.