Brussels, 23/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Cultural Foundation (ECF) is celebrating its 50th anniversary on 24 April in Amsterdam on the theme of ""50 Years f Sharing Cultures". At the eve of the accession of ten new Member States, this anniversary will underline the importance of sharing cultures and mutual exchanges in Europe.
Special prizes for encouraging cross-border artistic prizes will be awarded at this event to the two most innovative institutions in the arts and international cooperation: Truc Sphérique in Slovakia and Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center in Turkey. Participants will include, Princess Margriet from the Netherlands, the former minister for culture and education in France, Jack Lang and the new Polish European Commissioner for culture, Danuta Hübner.
The Foundation was created in 1954 in Geneva by Robert Schuman and by the Swiss philosopher Denis de Rougemont in order to add cultural value and more humanity to the European integration process. Since 1960, the Foundation has been based in Amsterdam. (Info: http://www.eurocult.org ).