europa nostra newsletter
Spring/Summer 2007
European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 The Enlargement of the European Union, coupled with increasing mobility linked to the Common market, new and old migratory flows, the new trade ties with the rest of the world, the education, leisure and globalisation in general, have led to increased contacts between cultures, religions, ethnic groups and languages. Against this backdrop and in the context of an increasingly multicultural European Union, the development of intercultural competences and the promotion of intercultural dialogue are fundamental. Intercultural dialogue contributes to a number of strategic priorities of the European Union, such as respecting and promoting cultural diversity; favouring the European Union’s commitment to solidarity, social justice and reinforced cohesion; allowing the European Union to make its voice heard and realising new efficient partnership with neighbouring countries. Europa Nostra believes that cultural heritage should play an important role in the many different approaches to the promotion of intercultural dialogue. Indeed monuments, works of art, archaeological sites, landscapes and intangible heritage are exemplary in showing the unity in diversity of Europe . Europa Nostra therefore participated in the different stages of preparation of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. In April, the European Commission announced the call for proposals for projects that will contribute to the objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008. Actions are proposed on a European scale and on a national scale. Deadline for both strands is 31 July 2007. These include a limited number of emblematic actions on a European scale aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue, involving directly or otherwise reaching as many people as possible and highlighting achievements and experiences on the theme of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008. This grant, which may cover up to 80% of total costs, will be awarded to approximately 8 to 10 projects. Other actions will be on a national scale with a strong European dimension, directly involving or otherwise reaching as many people as possible, with particular attention being given to actions relating to civic education and learning to appreciate other people and their differences. This grant, which may cover up to 50% of total costs, will be awarded to 27 projects (one per Member State). Eligibility for this Call is restricted to the national coordinating bodies responsible for the coordination of the Year 2008 in each Member State . Further information
Cultural heritage in a future EU Maritime Policy At its meeting in Stockholm on 6 June 2007, the Europa Nostra Council adopted a document responding to the consultation by the European Commission on an all-embracing EU Maritime Policy. Europe has a very long coastline which has attracted human activity for centuries, resulting in a very rich and diverse cultural heritage, a determining factor of European culture identity. Nowadays, pressure on the limited coastal space is growing and much of the cultural and natural heritage is severely at risk. Human activity and economic development must therefore be carefully coordinated and planned in order to preserve the coastal heritage while allowing the coastal communities to develop in a sustainable way. Europa Nostra’s response draws particular attention to the rapid degradation of coastal natural and cultural heritage in the Mediterranean. In the context of the current growing attention for coastal and maritime heritage, Europa Nostra is pleased to announce the application for membership of European Maritime Heritage (www.europeanmaritimeheritage.org), which held its General Assembly in Rotterdam on 16 - 18 April (see below). Further information on Europa Nostra’s response
European Commission launches its Communication on Culture Brussels, Belgium, 10 May 2007 In a press release, the European Commission announced the publication of its first ever Communication on Culture, which aims at developing strategies for culture to contribute to growth and a better intercultural understanding. The publication of this document, titled “A European Agenda for Culture in a Globalising World” follows months of preparation, including a wide consultation with stakeholders and the organisation of a Public Hearing on the Communication about the Role of Culture in Europe "Culture: A Sound Investment for Europe " which took place in Brussels on 4 December 2006. The Communication is complemented by an accompanying Staff Working Paper which describes the many ways in which the European Union supports culture. The policy statement presents three major objectives that together form a cultural strategy for the European Institutions, the Member States, and the cultural and creative sector: 1. Promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue; 2. Promotion of culture as a catalyst for creativity in the framework of the Lisbon Strategy; and 3. Promotion of culture as a vital element in the Union's international relations. The Commission has advanced the following lines of action to achieve these three aims: further developing dialogue with all stakeholders in the cultural sector, setting up an open method of coordination among the Member States, supporting policy making based on facts and evidence, and finally mainstreaming culture in all relevant EU policies. Further information
Forum Belgrade - Soul for Europe Belgrade, Serbia, 30 - 31 March 2007 Endorsed by the "A Soul for Europe " initiative, the Cultural Front Belgrade, in cooperation with the Amsterdam-based Felix Meritis Foundation, organised Forum Belgrade from 30 - 31 March 2007. The aim of the event was to promote the idea of culture as an integral part of the process of building a common future and fostering development in its widest sense. Forum Belgrade gathered politicians, civil society and business representatives form Serbia , from the Balkan region and from all over Europe , as well as representatives of the European Union institutions. They addressed the need to strategically make use of Europe 's cultural diversity for the (social, economical, political) development of Europe . Forum Belgrade also focussed on engaging south-east Europe actors from different sectors with these themes and creating a dialogue in the region and with the rest of Europe , to build a healthy and responsible society as an integral part of a stable Europe. The Forum addressed issues such as "Regional cooperation in south-east Europe", "Culture for Structural Development" and "How the south-east Europe region and Europe contribute to each other". Europa Nostra's Secretary General, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, participated in the debate and argued that cultural heritage and its diversity are factors to take into account in the wider European cultural debate. Further information Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Europa Nostra Secretary General, sg@europanostra.org
15th Edition of the Entretiens du Patrimoine Paris, France, 19 - 21 March 2007 The 15th edition of the Entretiens du Patrimoine (Discussions on Heritage) took place in Paris on 19 - 21 March 2007. This year the conference addressed the two-way topic ' Europe 's Heritage - European Heritage'. In the context of globalisation, does heritage remain a landmark for Europe ? Over 40 speakers from a wide range of heritage-related professions (historians, architects, journalists, etc.) discussed the topic for three days. Europa Nostra's Secretary General Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović participated in the debate 'The embryo of a European Heritage Community'. In her speech she emphasised the importance of cultural heritage as a building block of European identity and as a contribution to the strengthening of the sense of European citizenship. She also argued for the creation of a heritage organisations network and the role of Europa Nostra to achieve this goal. Further information
The European Union ratified the UNESCO Convention on cultural diversity, together with 12 Member States Paris, France, 18 March 2007 The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions entered into force on 18 March, three months after the thirtieth instrument of ratification was deposited. To date, 52 States have ratified the Convention. In an unprecedented event, the European Union adhered to the convention as a regional organisation of economic integration. Adopted on 20 October 2005 by the General Conference of UNESCO, the Convention aims to reinforce the links between culture, sustainable development and dialogue. It reaffirms respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, equal dignity of cultures, equitable access and openness of cultures to the world. It establishes the sovereign right of States to elaborate cultural policies with a view "to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions" and recognises the distinctive nature of cultural goods and services as “vehicles of identity, values and meaning”. It thus intends “to create the conditions for cultures to flourish and to freely interact in a mutually beneficial manner". Further information http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/
Conference "Diversity Makes the Difference - European Foreign Policy and Culture" Peace Palace, The Hague, Netherlands, 9 March 2007 Policymakers (national and European), representatives of national cultural institutes and others in the cultural sector met to discuss European foreign policy and culture at the 'Diversity Makes the Difference' Conference in the Peace Palace in The Hague on 9 March 2007. Speakers included Ján Figel' (Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth), Sean Doyle (Strategic Director, DG External Relations), David Green (President of EUNIC and Director General of the British Council), Wolfgang Petritsch (former High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations Office at Geneva) and Gijs de Vries (EU's anti-terrorism coordinator), who stressed the role of culture as a basis for dialogue and mutual understanding. The conference was concluded with the observation that the future role of Europe in the world will be shaped by the common EU foreign and security policy being developed by the Member States and the European institutions. But the strength of the EU model is that it is a cultural as well as a political one. Foreign policy inevitably has a cultural dimension. There is good reason, therefore, to promote an enhanced and structured cultural component to EU foreign and security policy. This would help the EU to engage sensitively in conflict prevention, invest significantly in post-conflict reconciliation, and strengthen and develop cultural and educational capacities as well as sustainable local structures. Such a policy should obviously respect the acquis communautaire and the principle of subsidiarity. Europa Nostra was represented by Eléonore de Merode (Awards Coordinator) and Mark Snethlage (Policy and Campaigns Office r). Further information www.eurocult.org/news-events/?article_id=28
Participation in the meetings of the Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue Brussels, Belgium, 17 January 2007 and 5 March 2007 As part of its active involvement in the preparations of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, Europa Nostra attended the consultative meeting of the European Commission with the civil society for the preparation of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008. The Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue, initiated by the European Forum for the Arts and Heritage (EFAH) and the European Cultural Foundation (ECF), invited over thirty organisations and individuals to exchange ideas on this thematic year. Europa Nostra was represented by Eléonore de Merode and its Vice-President John Sell. On 5 March 2007 Europa Nostra attended the second meeting of the Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue in Brussels . Like in January organisations and individuals from the arts, from education, youth work, anti-discrimination, migration, etc., came together to shape the civil society's response to the Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008. Four workshops discussed intercultural competence, intercultural management of NGOs, intercultural dialogue by participatory artistic activity and by consumable cultural products. Europa Nostra was represented by Eléonore de Merode and Mark Snethlage. Further information Eléonore de Merode, Europa Nostra Heritage Awards Coordinator, ao@europanostra.org
The European Commission’s Culture Programme 2007-2013 On 3 March 2007 , Europa Nostra was invited to attend the launch of the 2007-2013 EU Culture Programme in Brussels . This launch marked the start of a programme worth EUR 400 million, which aims to change the perception of cultural expressions across the European Union - and to make people reconnect with the European Union project. Designed to help cultural operators find new ways to cooperate and to explore opportunities for creative and innovative artistic ventures, the Culture Programme does not only set ambitious political goals for 'Unity in Diversity' through mobility - 'Crossing Borders - Connecting Cultures' -, it also heralds a new methodology of consultation and partnership, as the Commission will reach out to stakeholders to help shape a successful implementation of the programme. Europa Nostra was represented by Eléonore de Merode On 4 May 2007 , the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency made public the names of the bodies active at European level in the field of culture that will be awarded operational grants for 2007 in the framework of the Culture Programme. Together with 23 other organisations, Europa Nostra has been granted a support in the category European Networks. Further information
Public Consultation on an Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism Brussels, Belgium, February 2007 Following the release by the European Commission’s DG 'Enterprise and Industry' of the Final Report of the Tourism Sustainability Group in February of this year, a public consultation on an “Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism” was announced in May 2007. Europa Nostra responded to the consultation which ended on 14 June 2007 . The Tourism Sustainability Group comprises 22 stakeholders in the wider field of tourism across Europe . It studied the necessary measures to reduce the impact of tourism on the environment and society. The conclusions of the Report are in line with those of Europa Nostra's Position Paper ' The Encouragement of Cultural Tourism and the Mitigation of its Effects' . This Position Paper, adopted in Paris in November last year, received a substantial number of encouraging replies including from the European Commission, from the World Tourism Organisation and from various Ministries of Culture. There is wide agreement which underlined the necessity to link tourism and culture through policy and to encourage cultural tourism whilst controlling it and developing sustainable solutions. Further information ec.europa.eu/enterprise/services/tourism/tourism_sustainability_group.htm
German EU Presidency and Cultural heritage In January, the German European Union Presidency announced its priorities in the field of culture, which linked culture with the Lisbon agenda: explaining and making use of the contribution of culture to employment and growth. This follows a study on the “Economy of culture”, commissioned by the European Commission and published in late 2006. The German Presidency also co- organised and supported a series of conferences including “Building Culture for Sustainable Urban Development” (Hamburg, 26 - 27 April 2007, www.bmvbs.de/en/-,2619/EU-Council-Presidency.htm), “The future Maritime Policy of the EU: a European vision for Oceans and Seas” (Bremen, 3 - 4 May 2007, www.bmvbs.de/en/-,2619/EU-Council-Presidency.htm); “Culture powers Europe” (Berlin, 7 - 8 June 2007, www.kultur-macht-europa.eu); and "UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe - A Network for Cultural Dialogue and Cultural Tourism" (Lübeck, 13 - 14 June 2007, www.unesco.de) Further information: |
