Brussels, 08/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on 7 April, Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, who is responsible for the culture portfolio, took part in a meeting on the impact of cultural diplomacy in EU foreign policy.
Recommendations made by experts were presented to her and the other participants (political decision-makers, members of cultural organisations, artists and representatives of universities), from 54 European and non-European countries, with the aim of creating a new strategy on the role of culture in EU external policy.
“Culture is a vital part of our collective European identity and helps to underpin our shared values such as respect human rights, diversity and equality. Cultural diplomacy is an opportunity for us to share these values and our European culture with other countries”, said Vassiliou. She stressed that culture must play a more active and dynamic role on the international stage. Also taking part in the meeting were Pierre Vimont, Executive Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and the MEP Morten Lokkegaard (ALDE, Denmark), deputy chairman of the committee on culture and education of the European Parliament.
Since the adoption of the European Culture Agenda in 2007, the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009 and the establishment of the EEAS in 2011, several major initiatives at citizens' and political level have been launched with a view to accentuating and promoting the importance of culture in the external relations of the European Union. For example, Parliament launched a preparatory action seeking precise and detailed recommendations to develop a policy in this area, a strategy headed up by the European Commission, working together with experts from the Goethe Institute and other cultural organisations. This preparatory action led to recommendations, which were discussed at the meeting and which will be examined with the member states under the Greek and Italian Presidencies of the Council of the EU. (IL)