We believe in diversity as a force for democracy and encourage dialogue as a means of building peace.

Our vision reflects the values of a democratic, dynamic, integrated and creative European society.

We strive towards a Europe where the diversity of cultures, the arts, and cultural and natural heritage are essential to the development of a genuine openness of mind and basic rights, and where open and interactive processes and practices of culture encompass different elements that combine to help us deal with the complexities of living with ourselves and one another.

Headline news ... (20/11/2009)

Cultural Policy Review of Turkey

On 1-7 November, the first review visit to Ankara and Istanbul was successfully carried out by a group of independent experts. They met high officials, including the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, policy makers from cultural and related fields, managers of cultural institutions, representatives of the media, tourism, civil society and the independent cultural sectors and a manager of Istanbul 2010 - European Cultural Capital. A draft national report on Turkish cultural policy will be drawn up following this visit. A second visit to Turkey by the experts is planned for spring 2010, followed by the production of an independent expert’s report. This is the Council of Europe’s 29th cultural policy review exercise, which is expected to make a major contribution to the country’s development strategies for the cultural and heritage sectors. [16/11/2009]

Special file

Annual meeting of the Bern Convention committee

The 29th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (the Bern Convention) will take place in Bern (Switzerland) from 23-26 November in order to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Convention. (more...) [02/11/2009]

Bern Convention: media advisory [20/11/2009]

Forum of the Intercultural Cities

In co-operation with and thanks to the contribution from the region of Apulia and the personal commitment of its President, Mr Vendola, the conference "Local communities and the policies of hospitality and integration in Europe and in the Mediterranean – Forum of the Intercultural Cities" will be held in Bari, Italy on 11 December 2009. Representatives of the pilot Intercultural cities, Mayors from cities in the South Mediterranean and the Balkans region, officials from international and national institutions and organisations, intellectuals and journalists will participate in this event to discuss the challenges of managing intercultural diversity at the local level. (more...)  [10/11/2009]

Intercultural cities in Japan

Representatives of pilot cities engaged in the Intercultural cities programme visited Japan on 1-6 November. They presented the European model for intercultural integration of migrants and minorities and study Japan’s experience with "multicultural symbiosis" (Tabunka-kyosei). The study visit was organised with the support of the Japan Foundation. (more...)  [15/10/2009]

European Heritage Network (Herein): latest news
New national report for Ireland online
The report of Romania has been updated
A new report from Austria online
Two new linguistic versions of the report of the Brussels Capital Region

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IHPE Exhibition

The prizewinning pictures from the "International Heritage Photographic Experience - Heritage and Landscape" (IHPE) competition will be on display in the Committee of Ministers Foyer from the 4th of December 2009 until the end of January 2010. The competition is intended to encourage young people to adopt a creative approach and take a personal look, via the medium of photography, at elements of the cultural heritage around them, in liaison with the landscape. A prize-winning ceremony involving about a hundred young people from various countries will be held on Monday 7 December 2009 in the Palais de l'Europe. [02/11/2009]

IHPE website

Ministerial Conference on "Rehabilitating our Common Heritage"

A Ministerial Conference on "Rehabilitating our Common Heritage", organised in the framework of the Slovenian Chairmanship of the CoE Committee of Ministers, was held on 6 and 7 November in Ljubljana (Slovenia). The ministerial conference raised awareness about the important social and economic potential of the rehabilitation of cultural heritage, as implemented through the Integrated Rehabilitation Project Plan/Survey of the Architectural and Archaeological Heritage (IRPP/SAAH), a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission in South-East Europe since 2003. Almost thirty countries were represented at this conference which was opened by Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia, Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe and Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner. (more...) [28/10/2009]

 Ljubljana Process - Interactive application

Photographic exhibition: Rehabilitating our Common Heritage

Ljubljana declaration

Euronews reports

Euronews recently produced two television features on the activities of the Directorate of Culture, Education and Sport. The channel screened a report on the launch of the Roma cultural route in Lendava and Kamenci, Slovenia, in October. This week it is showing a report on the Neukoelln district of Berlin, which is taking part in the Intercultural cities programme, run in cooperation with the European Commission. [09/11/2009]

Report on Roma

Report on Neukölln

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