STRATEGY WORKING GROUP ON CULTURAL HERITAGE & HISTORY

oct 23

Europa Nostra took part to the first meeting of the Strategy Working Group on Cultural Heritage & History organised by the DG Enlargement of the European Commission on Wednesday 21 October 2009.

The Working Group is part of the “Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Multi-beneficiary Programming 2011-2013”, launched in Zagreb (HR) on 9-10 June 2009. The purpose of assistance under the IPA is to assist candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and the potential candidates (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo under UNSCR 1244/99) in their accession to the European Union.

The main assistance to IPA is given through the National Programmes, whilst the Multi-beneficiary Programme aims to complement and add value to these as well as enhance regional cooperation. Strategy Working Groups match each of the priority sectors and are about to develop the strategic choices which will feed into the IPA Multi-beneficiary 3-year plan. They are an important step towards enhanced ownership and participation in the programming and implementation of the IPA.

Four priorities were identified by the Working Group:     
      

• Capacity Building
• Rehabilitation of Heritage
  
• Cultural Heritage Education & Strengthening of regional understanding of History
  
• Cultural Heritage as a mean for reconciliation and dialogue
  

Europa Nostra was invited to give a presentation on the Cultural Heritage NGO perspective and was proud to be the Voice of Civil Society, and in particular of its Member Organisations from the concerned countries, in this important and innovative meeting which was also attended by national representatives, the Council of Europe and the European Commission.