europa nostra newsletter

Since July 2006, Europa Nostra has...

Participated in the Public hearing on the Communication about the Role of Culture in Europe "Culture: A Sound Investment for Europe " (Brussels, Belgium, 4 December 2006)
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Presented the results of the Kosovo Forum at the meeting of the Sub Committee on Cultural Heritage of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Paris, France, 7 December 2006)
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Met French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, to discuss topical European issues including the « Label du patrimoine européen  » (Paris, France, 15 November 2006)
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Participated in the second Berlin Conference: A Soul for Europe (Berlin, Germany, 17 - 19 November 2006)
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Provided its input for the Call for ideas on 2008 Year of Intercultural Dialogue, an initiative of the European Commission
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Participated in the first meeting of the Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue (Brussels, Belgium, 24 November 2006)
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Participated in the Conference "Intercultural Dialogue – Best Practices at Community Level" organised by the European Commission (Brussels, Belgium, 22 - 23 November 2006)
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Adopted a Position Paper on the Encouragement of Cultural Tourism in Europe and the Mitigation of its Effects at the Autumn Meeting of its Council (Paris, France, 15 November 2006)
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Participated in the 3rd Annual Conference of the European Cultural Tourism Network ( Göteborg, Sweden, 22 – 24 November 2006)
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Contributed to the own initiative report on cultural heritage of MEP Nikolaos Sifunakis, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (adopted by the European Parliament on 7 September 2006)
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Discussed the impact of wind and solar power generation on the landscape (Paris, France, 13 November 2006)
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Took note on the European Commission’s study on the economy of culture in Europe
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Welcomed a motion for a recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for a European Convention on the Protection of Old and Traditional Crafts (Belgrade, Serbia / Strasbourg, France, October 2006)
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President of the Commission supports a European Agenda for Culture at the Hearing with Civil Society

Brussels, Belgium, 4 December 2006
On 4 December 2006, DG EAC organised a public hearing on the Communication about the Role of Culture in Europe "Culture: A Sound Investment for Europe ". This event followed an on-line public consultation among all stake-holders (in particular organisations and individuals active in the cultural sector) and was intended to hear their views in an open dialogue with high representatives of the European Commission. In his introductory speech, Jan Figel’ Commissioner for Culture and Education explained that the Communication on culture aims to set a European agenda for culture and to develop new frameworks and methods for dialogue and cooperation. The hearing was chaired by Odile Quintin, Director General for Education and Culture. Preliminary results from the online consultation were presented by Vladimir Sucha, Director for Culture. In the afternoon session, European Commission President, Jose Manuel Durão Barroso underlined his personal commitment to deepen the role of culture in the general EU policy context of the European integration process. Only through culture could the EU instil in its citizens a stronger commitment and sense of belonging to the European project. Therefore what was urgently needed was a European Agenda for Culture leading to a true EU Cultural Policy. He pointed out that the process that should lead to such an Agenda should be enriched by the present hearing and online consultation and would be pursued under the German and Portuguese EU presidencies, with the aim of establishing a kind of a European Culture Agora.

In her brief intervention Europa Nostra Secretary General Sneska Quaedvlieg Mihailovic highlighted the complementary nature of the cultural heritage and the arts as two pillars of European culture. She also stressed that the European Commission should not forget the extensive acquis of the Council of Europe in the field of culture and heritage and that it should recognise that the European cultural space cannot be reduced to the 27 Member States of the EU. The mutual benefits for both institutions to cooperate had already been demonstrated in joint actions such as the European Heritage Days and the programme for the safeguarding of cultural heritage in South East Europe.

The Communication is planned to be adopted by the Commission in spring 2007.


Further information: Eléonore de Merode, Awards Officer, ao@europanostra.org, +31 70 302 40 52
Communication on Culture
Read Europa Nostra's response



Europa Nostra reports to the Sub-Committee on Cultural Heritage of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europeoc

Paris, France , 7 December 2006
On 7 December, Europa Nostra Executive President Andrea H. Schuler, Vice President Denis de Kergorlay and Secretary General Sneska Quaedvlieg Mihailovic participated in the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Cultural Heritage of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which is presided over by the Lithuanian Member of Parliament Emmanuelis Zingeris. Europa Nostra reported on its latest activities and more particularly about the Forum “Cultural Heritage in Kosovo: From Apple of Discord to Ferment of Reconciliation’ (Paris, 14 November 2006), and of its latest experience as the liaison office for the European Heritage Days.


Further information: Dr Christopher Grayson, Head of the Division for Culture and Education, PACE, christopher.grayson@coe.int



Europa Nostra President meets French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres

Paris, France , 15 November 2006
On the occasion of Europa Nostra’s presence in Paris for the Autumn Meeting of its Council, Europa Nostra’s President HRH The Prince Consort of Denmark met French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, who had some days earlier visited Europa Nostra’s information stand at the Salon du Patrimoine Culturel. He was accompanied by Bruno Favel, Head of International and European Affairs at the Directorate for Architecture and Architectural Heritage of the French Culture Ministry and Denis de Kergorlay, Vice-President of Europa Nostra.

The discussions focused on the French initiative to create a “Label du patrimoine européen”, a list of European heritage sites. The initiative is currently supported by many EU Member States, as it will contribute to help the European citizens to understand their common European heritage. The proposed list would be different from the UNESCO World Heritage List since it would not primarily consider cultural, artistic, architectural or natural values of universal significance, but instead the relevance of the selected monuments or sites in the context of the history of European integration. Europa Nostra insisted on the pan-European coverage such an initiative should have and was asked to help spread accurate information about the Label du patrimoine européen.


Further information: Sneska Quaedvlieg Mihailovic, Europa Nostra Secretary General, sg@europanostra.org, +31 70 302 40 56



Second Berlin Conference: A Soul for Europe

Berlin, Germany, 17 - 19 November 2006
Europa Nostra’s Secretary General, Sneska Quaedvlieg Mihailovic attended the second Berlin Conference “A Soul for Europe”, which aims at stimulating the use of cultural assets as a strategic factor in Europe's development – at local, regional and national levels as well as at the level of the European Institutions. The conference was well attended by politicians, intellectuals and representatives of creative industries and non governmental organisations. Europa Nostra fully supports this initiative that highlights the need to integrate the cultural dimension in the European debate. Europa Nostra will in particular strive to underline the essential role which cultural heritage plays in the process of European integration and the development of a European citizenship.


Further information: Sneska Quaedvlieg Mihailovic, Europa Nostra Secretary General, sg@europanostra.org, +31 70 302 40 56



2008 – European Year of Intercultural Dialogue
Europa Nostra contributed to the European Commission’s call for ideas

The Committee on Culture and Education will propose to the European Parliament to approve without amendments Erna Hennicot-Schoepges’ recommendation for a second reading on the Council’s common position. On 28 November, the Committee voted unanimously in favour of the report. The vote in plenary is scheduled for 12 December. With a budget of EURO 10 million, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue will present a wide variety of enriching concrete projects that will be implemented in the framework of EU programs and other Community actions. The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue is expected to encourage the mobilisation of civil society and actors at the European, national and local levels. Culture, education, youth, sport and citizenship will be the main implementation fields. For 2008, the Commission is planning: (i) information and promotion campaigns to be coordinated at Community level, (ii) a small number of European-scale keynote activities illustrating the various facets of and approaches to intercultural dialogue, and (iii) initiatives at national level proposed by the bodies responsible for coordination in the Member States.

In this context, the European Commission launched a "Call for ideas" for promoting intercultural dialogue in Europe, addressed to civil society and all other interested parties, in order to define guidelines for future calls for proposals which will be published in 2007, and to identify complementary ideas for initiatives with a view to establish contacts between promoters of projects. Europa Nostra responded to this Call for Ideas.


Further information: Promoting Intercultural Dialogue in Europe
Read Europa Nostra’s response



Conference on Intercultural Dialogue – Best Practices at Community Level

Brussels, Belgium, 22 - 23 November 2006
In preparation for the “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue” in 2008, the European Commission (DG EAC) organised a conference and exhibition: “Intercultural Dialogue. Best practices at Community level” on 22 - 23 November 2006 in Brussels. The aims of the conference were to provide a platform for discussion between policy makers, those responsible for education, training and culture, stakeholders and, in particular, young people, on the best ways to integrate intercultural dialogue into actions at the national, regional and European level; as well as to examine ways of ensuring the sustainability of the initiatives from the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. An exhibition presenting 29 models of best practice supported by the programmes of DG EAC was organised, and participants took part in one of three workshops examining intercultural dialogue at the workplace, in the educational context and in daily life.

Europa Nostra was represented by its Vice-President John Sell, and by Eléonore de Merode from the Europa Nostra International Secretariat. In particular, the conference concluded the need to develop a catalogue of good practices and establish a framework for their dissemination; the fundamental importance of education to cultural diversity; and the need to engage the media in making a positive contribution to intercultural dialogue.


Further information: Intercultural Dialogue conference and exhibition



First meeting of the Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue

Brussels, Belgium, 24 November 2006
The European Cultural Foundation (ECF) and the European Forum for Arts and Heritage (EFAH) have responded to the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 by jointly initiating a special civil society platform. The platform aims to heighten the impact and effectiveness of the year, to share concepts and practice of intercultural dialogue, to mobilise civil society to have a voice, and to contribute to policy analysis. The Platform will bring cultural organisations from across Europe together with their counterparts from other sectors such as migration, human rights, education and youth. The platform proposes to tackle the issue of cultural diversity and aims to make proposals as to how civil society can harness cultural diversity as an asset and a resource. Regular meetings of the Platform will be held through to 2008. The first meeting of the Platform took place on 24 November in Brussels and gathered the representatives of 27 civil society organisations. It was attended by Eléonore de Merode, Europa Nostra’s Heritage Awards Coordinator.


Further information: Ms Sabine Frank, EFAH, sabine.frank@efah.org



Europa Nostra adopted a position paper on cultural tourism

Paris, France, 15 November 2006  
Following the Declaration "Cultural Tourism, its Encouragement and Control" it adopted in at its Annual Congress in Malta in May 2006, Europa Nostra produced a Position Paper to the EU Institutions on the subject, which was adopted at its Council meeting in Paris on 15 November 2006.
Europa Nostra sees tourism and culture as two powerful drivers for growth across Europe. They are important as a means of delivering the Lisbon Agenda for economic growth and employment. They also play a vital role in fostering a greater understanding of the rich diversity of regional cultures of Europe and a deeper appreciation of the common European heritage. Cultural tourism thrives on the discovery and enjoyment of historic monuments and sites focusing on the built cultural heritage, including the cultural landscapes. It is a direct adjunct to cultural heritage. But there is an inevitable dichotomy between satisfying the pressure for economic growth through tourism and protecting the cultural heritage sites and monuments that lie at its heart. There is, therefore, a need not only to integrate tourism and culture into networks or geographic groupings, but also to establish quality standards or systems of good practice to increase their effectiveness and efficiency, as well as to safeguard Europe 's cultural heritage. The key, as always, lies in finding the right balance between encouraging the expansion of cultural tourism and safeguarding heritage sites and monuments by keeping the volume of tourists to heritage travel destination areas to within optimum sustainable limits. The position paper explores the challenges to strike the right balance between conservation and economic development.


Further information: Europa Nostra Position Paper on Cultural Tourism
Declaration "Cultural Tourism, its Encouragement and Control"



'The Creative Future Cultural Tourism as a Sustainable and a Growing Sector'

3rd ECTN Annual Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, 22 – 24 November 2006
The 3rd Annual Conference of the European Cultural Tourism Network assembled professionals in culture and tourism to exchange experience and move the issue of cultural tourism forward on the European agenda. Discussions concentrated on how future development of cultural tourism can be strengthened in Europe . The conference focused on the ways in which cultural tourism can support the sustainable economic development, foster mutual understanding of cultural diversity between nations and cultures of Europe. Delegates prepared issues and challenges for a joint meeting between the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee in 2007.
Europa Nostra’s Council Member, Catherine von Arnold, represented Europa Nostra and presented the Europa Nostra Position Paper on Cultural Tourism which had just been approved by the Europa Nostra Council at its meeting in Paris on 15 November.


Further information: www.cultural-tourism.net



European Parliament adopts Resolution on European natural, architectural and cultural heritage in rural and island regions

Brussels, Belgium, 7 September 2007
In spring 2006, Europa Nostra contributed amendments to the own initiative report on cultural heritage by MEP Nikolaos Sifunakis, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education. This document focused on the need to protect and further enhance the cultural heritage in Europe ’s rural and island areas. It also called on the Council and the Commission to promote a 'European Cultural Heritage Year' so as to make the European public more aware of the importance of taking the necessary measures to preserve and promote their cultural heritage. On 7 September 2006, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution based on the Sifunakis Report.


Further information: Mark Snethlage, Policy and Campaigns Officer, imo@europanostra.org
Resolution on European natural, architectural and cultural heritage



Europa Nostra Landscape Working Group discusses impact of wind and solar power generation on the landscape

Paris, France, 13 November 2006
At their last meeting in Paris, the members of Europa Nostra’s Landscape Working Group discussed Europa Nostra’s response to the EC Maritime Policy Green paper. They also further discussed the threats to Europe ’s landscapes posed by renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines and solar panels. While acknowledging the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and not being opposed to wind and solar energy by way of principle, Europa Nostra believes that for all visually intrusive activities in Europe ’s natural and cultural landscapes, clear planning rules taking due account of the landscapes cultural and aesthetic values should be developed and implemented.


Further information: Mark Snethlage, Policy and Campaigns Officer, imo@europanostra.org
Consultation on Maritime Policy



Study on the Economy of Culture in Europe

The study, commissioned in 2005 by the European Commission from a wide consortium composed of the KEA European Affairs, the Media Group (Turku School of Economics) and the MKW Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH, was finalized on 30 October and presented to the Council of Ministers on 13-14 November. It highlights the important contribution of the culture and creative sectors towards achieving the goals of the Lisbon agenda. It is also the first attempt at EU level to measure this contribution and therefore a good starting point for a refreshed discussion. The study is a rich input for the Commission's forthcoming Communication on culture. It also calls for a coherent strategy for the creative sector and includes a set of policy recommendations intended to unleash the " Lisbon potential" of the cultural economy in Europe.

The document highlights the direct and indirect contribution of the cultural and creative sectors towards the Lisbon Agenda in terms of GDP, growth and employment, as well as links between creativity and innovation, links with the ICT sector, regional development and attractiveness. In a nutshell: the cultural and creative sector represents 2.6 % of EU GDP (as against 1.9 % for the food, beverage and tobacco industries, for example) and employs some 5.8 million people (equivalent to 3.1% of the population). The study includes a significant sector profile on cultural heritage, and highlights the role for cultural heritage as an engine for local and regional development. During and after a working session organised by the Commission on 19 July, in which the preliminary results of the study were presented, Europa Nostra - represented by Eléonore de Merode from the Secretariat – had been able to contribute its input to the study.


Further information: http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/sources_info/studies/economy_en.html



Motion for a Recommendation for a European Convention on the protection of old and traditional crafts

Belgrade (Serbia) / Strasbourg (France), October 2006
A motion for a recommendation on a European Convention on the Protection of Old and Traditional Crafts was signed by a number of members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and presented to the PACE at its plenary session on 9 October 2006. The motion has not yet been discussed in the Assembly. The signatories recommend that the Committee of Ministers adopt the draft Convention elaborated by students of the Law School of the University of Belgrade. The current draft provides for an institutional structure (a European Committee and national committees), a Fund and special mechanisms for the protection of old and traditional crafts, namely the development of inventories, strategies and annual programmes at the national and European levels. It also includes provisions for labeling and certifying products issued from old and traditional crafts, as well as a European Capital and a European Day of Old and Traditional Crafts. Such an initiative is to be welcomed as filling a considerable void, for no such instrument yet exists for laying the foundations for international / European cooperation on this specific issue.


Further information: assembly@coe.int
European convention on the protection of old and traditional crafts