Council of Europe: recommendation to States. Culture, heritage and landscape play “role in addressing global challenges”

During its session in Turin today, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted a recommendation on the “role of culture, cultural heritage and landscape in helping to address global challenges”. The document calls on Member States to take actions and policies that promote understanding of cultural resources as “strategic elements to help address global challenges and as drivers of social transformation”. For example, governments should work to boost “cultural empathy”, engaging “in dialogue and building mutual understanding and solidarity” so that diversity is considered as an “essential common value” and “collaboration between people and institutions” becomes part of a global response. Artists and cultural professionals are invited to join this effort to “contribute to changing behaviour” and address global challenges. In particular, sustainable development policies should “mobilise actors in the fields of culture, heritage and landscape”. The recommendation insists on the role of local communities and the need to support them in order to foster “civic dialogue and engagement”. The potential of digital technologies and artificial intelligence should also be harnessed in this effort. Gender disparities in the cultural and creative sectors; the working conditions of artists and cultural professionals; digital access to and participation in cultural resources; and strengthening international cooperation and knowledge sharing - these are other issues addressed in the document which also includes a point on Ukraine. Indeed, the latter should be assisted “as necessary in dealing with the threats to its cultural heritage and its urgent preservation”.
Valentina Bombelli