Brussels, 12/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - ON 12 January in Brussels, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Culture Commissioner Ján Figel' met eighteen leading figures of the cultural scene, including opera singer Barbara Hendricks and writers Amin Maalouf, Dorota Ilczuk and Tzvetan Todorov to identify ways of promoting European culture and identity as part of the integration process. Mr Barroso stressed that “Culture should play a strategic role in Europe's agenda. It is a crucial factor in the success of European integration and is, at the same time, inextricably linked to our sense of identity”. The Commission would like to increase its efforts to promote European culture, to which it dedicates an annual budget of some 35 million euro. The aim is to “fuel a continuous debate about culture, its influence on European modern development, power and importance in making European integration a true success”, stresses the Commission. Intercultural dialogue and culture as a means of avoiding conflicts were the main focuses of those attending the meeting, at which Commissioner Figel' unveiled the Commission's proposal to make 2008 “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue”.