Brussels, 30/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - An effective cultural policy, which is based on convincing data, can contribute significantly to the general effort for economic recovery and the return to growth, said the participants of a conference in Nicosia on 28-29 August, which was organised by the Cypriot Presidency (“Cultural governance in a globalising world: better governance for the cultural and creative sector”).
The participants drew up an overview of the cultural policy taken in the countries of the EU, by considering the added value brought by cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, catalysts for sustainable and inclusive economic growth. In an introductory speech, the Cypriot Minister for Education and Culture, George Demosthenous, highlighted the importance of culture, not only for boosting the economy, but also for improving the standard of life and knowledge of citizens. Culture “is a tool for development of political and social consciousness and is therefore and invaluable public good”, he said. On behalf of Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou, the head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus, George Markopouliotis, talked about the challenges to the cultural world today. Besides a great fragmentation of markets due to linguistic and cultural diversity in the EU, the cultural and creative industry is also on a collision course with the distrust of investors who doubt the financial gains that could be made from their investment on these markets. “This is, in my opinion, deeply mistaken. To counter these views, we need evaluation and measurement methods which can capture the diversity of impacts that culture and the arts have on societies.” The cultural sector lacks comparable data that are trustworthy and capable of reassuring the financial sector, Markopouliotis added. The Commission welcomes the initiatives already implemented in some member states (the United Kingdom and Estonia) and regions (Wallonia in Belgium, Puglia in Italy and the city of Barcelona in Spain) to develop the potential of cultural and creative sectors. In September it will publish a paper to encourage the member states more widely to adopt similar initiatives. (IL/transl.fl)