More culture in EU's cohesion policy
Mobilizing culture for structural development! Sign here the petition initiatied by the European Culture Congress! A call for more culture in EU's cohesion policy!
The chance of European integration lies within culture. One way to get involved in strengthening European cultural identity is that of Gabriella Gönczy, Strategy Group member of “A Soul for Europe”. Her engagement for the initiative is portrayed on the homepage “We Swarm”, a platform aiming to present innovative people and ideas that shape today’s communities. Read about her reasons to join “A Soul for Europe” and her work for the topic „The image of Europe” here.
A European Year of Volunteering for Everyone?! If you think this is a good idea in order to build Europe from the bottom up, then sign the manifesto “We are Europe!” initiated by Ulrich Beck und Daniel Cohn-Bendit, organised by the Allianz Kulturstiftung.
The new EU development programme fails to mention culture merely three years after the cultural sector, heads of state and EU officials in Europe and the African, Caribbean and Pacific signed the “Brussels Declaration" which affirmed that culture would be a priority in EU development programmes and a UN Millennium Goal.
Currently the European Commission is working on a new framework for the European Capitals of Culture programme after 2019. The Committee of the Regions has prepared a draft opinion for the improvement of the programme. In this draft the importance of the involvement of civil society actors in the ECoC programme and activities is emphasised.
This year's Berlin Conference will take place on 10 November 2012 at the Capital Representation of the Deutsche Telekom AG (Französische Straße 33, 10117 Berlin, Germany) - save the date!
Martin Schulz, the new president of the European Parliament will take over the Chair of the “A Soul for Europe” Advisory Board.
In the new Culture Report by the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) Strategy Group Members Mahir Namur and Farid Tabarki published some interesting articles
Published on 31st January 2012 by Kathrin Deventer
Europe needs its citizens. Mobilizing every single individual to assume responsibility for a ‘Europe of citizens’ is a task both in the hands and in the interest of political decision-makers. Europe’s cultural diversity and the power of its cultural activity are an invaluable resource, and should form the basis of this engagement between Europe and its citizens.
Tagged with CitizenshipPublished on 27th January 2012 by Rarita Zbranca
The idea of a European "capital of culture" holds much promise. But to make the concept work, it needs to be focused on people and local cultural projects, not politics. After all, ultimately it is the city that is special, not its political management.
Tagged with ECoC