The European cultural sector meets the new representatives of the EU Commission and Parliament

The European cultural sector met the new representatives of the European Commission and European Parliament on 4 February in Brussels in the first policy event organised to contribute to the EU’s future “Culture Compass“, the strategic framework that will define key priorities for the cultural sector in the upcoming years, including cultural and religious heritage.

The event was organised by the #CulturalDealEU coordinated by Culture Action Europe, Europa Nostra, and the European Cultural Foundation, and provided a platform for dialogue between more than 120 cultural stakeholders and key figures from the European institutions, including Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, and Nela Riehl, chair of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) at the European Parliament.

Speakers and guests included other high-level representatives of the European institutions, such as MEPs Laurence Farreng (CULT Committee), Hannes Heide (CULT Committee), Zoltan Tarr (CULT Committee), Helder Sousa-Silva (BUDG Committee) and representatives of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, including Marta Cienkowska, Deputy Minister of Culture and Heritage of Poland, as well as city representatives and civil society from across Europe, including emerging artists Leander Emanuel and Sam Vassallo and three civil society representatives:  Ihor Poshyvailo (Ukraine), Tamar Janishia (Georgia), and Ivana Jovanović Arsić (Serbia).

FRH contributing to the conversations to shape the Culture Compass

The policy event was attended by two representatives of FRH, Lilian Grootswagers, Advisory Board President, and Patty Wageman, Council member, who had the opportunity to briefly address Commissioner Micallef and underline the importance of religious heritage in Europe’s rich cultural tapestry and the need for a holistic approach to ensure a sustainable future for it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FRH was already present at the European Heritage Alliance meeting held in Brussel on December, in which Susanne Hollmann, Senior Expert of DG EAC, invited representatives from European cultural heritage networks to express their needs and what they would like to see in the new “Culture Compass”.

As conversations continue, FRH and the European cultural sector are ready to actively contribute to shaping the cultural policy agenda and ensure that European cultural heritage remains a priority in the coming years.