Europa?Nostra, the pan-European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage, also in its role as Leader of the European Heritage Hub, welcomes and strongly endorses the Culture?Compass for Europe.
Europa Nostra writes:
This strategic document recognises culture and cultural heritage as a cornerstone of Europe’s security, resilience, democracy, competitiveness, social cohesion and sustainable development. This forward-looking framework is designed to shape the EU’s cultural policy by ensuring that culture plays a central role in fostering European identity, celebrating diversity and promoting excellence. Reacting to this much-awaited document, Hermann Parzinger, Executive President of Europa Nostra and Chair of the Advisory Council of the European Heritage Hub, declared: ‘Today, more than ever, Europe needs a Culture Compass to guide and inspire its policies and actions. We strongly support the holistic strategy of the Compass. We applaud the fact that this strategy is anchored in our shared cultural values and that it champions cultural rights’.
The Culture Compass will guide EU policies in four key directions, for an EU that: 1) upholds and strengthens European values and cultural rights; 2) empowers artists and cultural professionals, and supports people; 3) draws on culture and cultural heritage to become more competitive, resilient and cohesive; and 4) champions international cultural relations and partnerships.
‘The Compass’ strategic vision – ‘Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe’ – sets into motion 20 flagship actions driven by four key directions. It connects culture to Europe’s future – where culture creates and inspires without borders, where culture works for its artists and cultural professionals, where culture empowers its sectors, and where culture connects us to the world. When Culture wins – Europe wins!’ emphasised Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. The political ambition of the Culture Compass for Europe is demonstrated by the proposed draft Joint Declaration to be adopted by three key EU Institutions, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, further strengthening thereby the joint political commitment of the European Union to achieve its transversal vision for culture through adequate actions and resources. Europa Nostra calls upon the EU Institutions to adopt this Joint Declaration as soon as possible, thus confirming that culture and cultural heritage have been elevated among key priorities and resources for the future of Europe.
Europa Nostra’s Secretary General and Leader of the European Heritage Hub Consortium, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovi?, said: ‘Europa Nostra, together with our numerous members and partners, has been championing for many years the need for culture and cultural heritage to be placed where they belong – at the very heart of the European project. The Culture Compass for Europe gives a forceful response to these aspirations and shows a clear direction for ensuring a better future for Europe. Together with the European Heritage Alliance and the European Heritage Hub Consortium, we are keen to work with all EU Institutions to translate the Culture Compass into a positive driving force and a next success story for Europe and its citizens’.
The document’s motto ‘Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe’ is fully aligned with the motto of our recently published Brussels Manifesto ‘Heritage Matters for Europe –?Europe Matters for Heritage’. We are delighted that the vital role of cultural heritage has been recognised very prominently throughout the Culture Compass for Europe. One of the four directions of the Compass focuses explicitly on cultural heritage. The Compass also highlights the important EU instruments related to cultural heritage, namely the European Heritage Label, the European Heritage Days, the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, and the European Heritage Hub.
It is very symbolic that the Culture Compass for Europe was presented on the same day when the European Commission presented two other much-awaited documents: the European Democracy Shield and the EU Strategy for Civil Society. Europa Nostra firmly believes that investment in culture and cultural heritage is also an investment in defending and strengthening democracy in Europe. Therefore, we urge the European Commission and other EU Institutions to establish the necessary bridges and synergies between the strategies and action covered by the Cultural Compass for Europe and by the European Democracy Shield. Also, as the European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage, we wish to stress the vital role of civil society active in the wider field of culture and cultural heritage. Therefore, we see the need for developing due connections between the Cultural Compass for Europe and the EU Strategy for Civil Society. Culture and cultural heritage are indeed a key resource for championing democracy based on the crucial contribution of civil society.
We highly value the fact that the Culture Compass for Europe was prepared through a large, creative and inclusive participatory process led by Commissioner Micallef and his team, including due consultation with cultural and cultural heritage stakeholders, such as Europa Nostra and the European Heritage Hub. The outcome fully reflects this rich and diverse input received.
