A new strategy to put culture at the heart of EU international relations
The European Commission adopted an EU strategy for international cultural relations
In a rapidly changing, interconnected world, cultural relationships offer a unique opportunity to improve relations between partner countries and the EU. Culture is a valuable resource/tool to address many of the challenges facing Europe and the world, such as the integration of refugees and migrants, countering of violent radicalization and preservation of cultural heritage.
The potential of cultural and creative sectors and economic benefits of cultural exchange should also be taken into account in order to contribute to inclusive growth and job creation in the EU and its partner countries.
Several stakeholders -the Member States, European Parliament and civil society - called on the High Representative and the European Commission to develop a strategic vision for development and progress in international cultural relations. The call for the preparation of such a strategy is also supported by the program "Preparatory action on culture in EU external relations", which highlights the need to implement a new model of cultural cooperation.
Intensive cultural cooperation, direct contacts and exchange of ideas between people will help the EU to become a stronger player in the global arena.
What are the main objectives of the new strategy?
EU strategy for international cultural will focus on three main objectives:
- Support for culture as a driver of social and economic development:
The economic benefits of cultural exchange are too often ignored. Global trade in works of art has more than doubled between 2004 and 2013, despite the global recession. Culture is a key element in the new economy driven by creativity, innovation, digitization and access to knowledge. Industries related to culture and creativity occupy about three percent of global GDP and provide 30 million jobs. In the EU alone, these industries account for more than 7 million jobs. In developing countries, data from the UNESCO survey "Index of Culture in Development" shows that culture contributes about 1.5 per cent to 1.7 per cent of GDP in countries with low and middle incomes.
Available data for both developing and developed countries show that the cultural sector can borrow respectively from two to seven per cent of GDP, which is more than many other traditional industries.
Therefore the EU strategy for international cultural relations should become a strategy for inclusive growth and creating new jobs.
- Promoting intercultural dialogue and the role of culture for peaceful relations between communities:
Intercultural dialogue, including interreligious dialogue, is a key instrument for promoting fair, peaceful and inclusive societies, and to highlight the importance of cultural diversity and respect for human rights. It creates a common ground and a favourable environment for further exchanges.
Intercultural dialogue will be promoted through cooperation between people working in culture (cultural operators); through cultural activities that strengthen peace; through exchanges between young people, students, researchers, academics and university students; as well as cooperation in the field of cultural heritage protection.
- Strengthen cooperation in the field of cultural heritage:
Cultural heritage is an important expression of cultural diversity, which must be protected. Rehabilitation and promotion of cultural heritage promote tourism and increase economic growth. There are many opportunities for joint action between the partner countries to develop sustainable strategies to protect cultural heritage through educational programs, skills development and knowledge sharing.
The EU supports research and innovation related to cultural heritage. The Commission will support international efforts to safeguard objects of cultural heritage and consider a legislative proposal for regulating the import into the EU of cultural goods. It will also propose to the European Parliament and the EU Council to organize a European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018.
How will the strategy be implemented and what will the role of the member states be?
The success of the new approach relies on the principle that all stakeholders join forces. Complementarity and synergies between all main players – governments from partner countries at all levels, local cultural organisations and civil society, the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), EU Member States, and their cultural institutes - are essential.
For the implementation of the Strategy for international cultural relations, the EU can count on its 139 Delegations and Offices operating around the world, which already carry out an enormous number of cultural activities in their host countries. The EU (delegations) will act as an enabler and encourage synergies and cooperation between national cultural institutes and foundations, and private and public enterprises worldwide. It is therefore important to establish effective partnerships between all these bodies. That is why an EU Cultural Diplomacy Platform was set up in February 2016, focusing on strategic partners. Operated by a consortium of Member States' Cultural Institutes and other partners, the Platform will advise the European Commission and the EEAS on external cultural policy, facilitate networking, carry out activities with cultural stakeholders and develop training programmes for cultural leadership.
Projects to be implemented under the new Strategy
A pilot project has just been launched to create a global platform (p.13) gathering networks of young cultural entrepreneurs from Europe and partner countries to facilitate exchanges between them. The Creative Europe programme, the main EU financial instrument for culture, is open to neighbourhood and enlargement countries, and the Commission encourages them to join.
The 11th EDF Intra-ACP programme (p.6&7) will support the contribution of cultural industries to the socio-economic development of ACP countries. Another initiative will be launched on intercultural dialogue including local authorities, funded under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI).
In the South Mediterranean, the EU will continue to support the Anna Lindh Foundation (p.11), including the second phase of the Young Arab Voices programme (now enlarged to the EuroMediterranean region) to deepen the dialogue between young leaders and civil society representatives and develop counter-narratives to extremism and violent radicalisation.
In the Eastern Partnership (EaP), the "EaP Culture Programme Phase II" is supporting the cultural and creative sectors’ contribution to sustainable humanitarian, social and economic development. At the same time, the "Community-Led Urban Strategies in Historic Towns" project seeks to stimulate social and economic development by enhancing cultural heritage in 9 historic towns in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The new Strategy will allow the targeting of specific regions or countries with appropriate actions. For example, the EU Cultural Diplomacy Platform is now exploring possibilities of cultural cooperation with Iran, in particular in the field of cultural heritage. Other ideas are being explored, such as the opening of a House of European Culture in Tehran. Similar projects are being considered for Ukraine.