The two lines

Culture as shared heritage, as the means to bring peoples and states closer together and to open up new horizons to knowledge; and also as an “occasion to promote economic and social growth”: the EU is moving along these two lines. In May it launched, through the Commission, a possible EU strategy in this sector. The question was raised again at the first EU Forum on Culture (Lisbon, 26-28 September). THE LISBON forum. Representatives of European institutions, associations and NGOs, exponents of culture and of the business world met at the Forum in the Portuguese capital: it was a further step towards 2008, which the EU has proclaimed the “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue”. Official reports and informal meetings have examined the various expressive forms of cultures that form part of the continental heritage. The salient points of the EU strategy, presented by the Commission on 10 May, have also been repeatedly explored: promotion of diversity and dialogue between cultures; support for culture as “catalyst of creativity in the framework of the Lisbon strategy”; and the fostering of culture, in its many-sided aspects, as central element of the Union’s external relations. EUROBAROMETER SURVEY. Great interest was aroused during the Forum by the presentation of the last Eurobarometer survey devoted to relations between citizens of the EU and culture. Of the data published in the survey, some may be regarded as a foregone conclusion, but others, according to the experts of the Commission’s polling service, open up new horizons and suggest far from predictable positions. For example 89% of Europeans (the survey was conducted on a sample of 26,000 citizens in the 27 member countries of the EU) “think it necessary to promote culture at the European level”; 88% think “cultural exchanges are important” and therefore ask the EU to “facilitate such exchanges as a way of promoting intercultural dialogue”. Three out of four of the interviewees “think cultural diversity is the essential characteristic of Europe”: a factor to which renewed attention needs to be paid. Another observation of Eurobarometer, to which many comments at the Forum were devoted, regards the fact that “67% of citizens think that, in contrast to other continents, European countries have numerous cultural aspects in common”.GlobalizATION: rESOURCE OR THREAT? The citizens of the Union are divided, on the other hand, on another question: 58% of the interviewees have “a positive view of the effects of globalization”, since they believe “it will give new impetus to European culture by extending its influence in the world”; the remaining 42% take a different view, and many people feel their own identity is threatened by the globalizing trends taking place. Education and culture, in turn, “are considered important for fostering understanding among Europeans: 56% of the interviewees declare that the teaching of foreign languages in schools would help Europeans to get to know each other better, while 41% favour increased programmes for student and teacher exchanges”.“FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING AND TOLERANCE”. A first comment on the survey findings was made by Jan Figel, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth: “Our continent is endowed with extraordinary cultural richness and this survey clearly shows that Europeans attach a lot of importance to their culture and to culture in general”. According to the Slovak politician, “this passion confirms the central place culture occupies in the Community project. The message is clear also for political decision-makers in member states: the means need to be provided to facilitate cultural exchanges in our continent and foster mutual understanding, tolerance and respect between peoples. This is especially important in view of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in 2008”. Fact file The formal recognition of the “cultural dimension” of European integration is owing to the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, which marked the transition from the EEC to the EU. Since then culture has become a constant focal point of attention of the EU and a concrete aspect of EU policies. Projects in the cultural field have been numerous and various in nature: they range from support for “cultural industries” (cinema, audiovisuals, publishing, music, etc.) to the annual programmes linked to “European Capital of Culture”. Culture is also addressed in specific EU measures such as those in the fields of education, research, information, and social and regional development. One of the best known programmes of the Union is in fact the one called precisely “Culture” (which has a budget of 400 million euros for the period 2007-2013); it is aimed at preserving culturing properties, “encouraging the trans-national circulation of works of art” and stimulating intercultural dialogue.