During an informal meeting in Cáceres, Spain, on September 25 and 26, the European Union’s Ministers of Culture approved the Cáceres declaration.
With this declaration, the EU strengthens the policy level of culture and the cultural sector as it considers it an “essential public good” as well as a “global public good”. The declaration stresses the importance of culture for society, especially in times of conflict. Minister for Culture and Sport, Miquel Iceta, who hosted the meeting, stressed in addition to that the importance of culture for the European Union and for democracy. The declaration states that “culture plays an essential role in the construction of democratic societies and in the personal development of citizens: culture is essential to achieve healthier, fairer, more critical, free, tolerant, inclusive and egalitarian societies“.
The ministers also expressed their commitment to work towards the recognition of culture as a new sustainable development goal in its own right. This is an important step in ensuring the political importance of culture in the post-2030 agenda.
The declaration affirms that:
“Culture is the heart of democracy.
Culture is tolerance, respect and human rights.
Culture is freedom of thought and creation.
Culture is pluralism, diversity and wealth.
Culture is peace.
Culture is identity.
Culture is equality.
Culture is universal access and inclusion.
Culture is the participation of citizens in cultural life.
Culture is health and physical and mental well-being.
Culture is sustainability and the pathway to a future world for generations to come.
Culture is a key element in the fight against climate change.
Culture is an essential element of economic development.
Culture is dignified lives for cultural workers.
Culture is heritage, history and memory, the wellsprings of the future.
Culture is, in short, a right of citizens that public authorities and all individuals have an obligation to safeguard. That is why we are making this commitment today, so that culture will henceforth be considered an essential public good, a global public good, at the highest policy level“
The meeting in Cáceres took place as part of Spain’s Presidency of the EU Council and was attended by 27 EU member states. You can find the Cáceres decleration here.
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