Intercultural dialogue at the heart of Europe's cities and regions

[14/11/2008] Council of Europe's work on intercultural dialogue, including the Intercultural cities programme was presented at an event of the Committee of the Regions on 25 and 26 November. The event was organised with the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture and Notre Europe, the European think-tank founded by Jacques Delors. The debates focused on migration and integration, diversity, inter-religious issues and the development of an European identity.

Media in the Intercultural city

[14/11/2008] Can local media be a real partner to cities which are trying to build a vision for diversity as an asset for their development? How to report on facts and fears without stigmatising entire communities? What are the challenges for media ethics in diverse communities? These were some of the many questions media professionals from the 12 pilot cities participating in the Intercultural cities programme, and leading media experts discussed at a unique event in Patras, Greece, on 27-29 November 2008.

First European Heritage Forum

[12/05/2008] At its Plenary Session on 5-6 May 2008, the Steering Committee for Culture approved the Council of Europe’s cultural governance observatory function, CultureWatchEurope. The function includes optimal linking and strengthening of existing information and monitoring tools, resulting in the production of targeted policy and trend reviews, as well as increased liaison opportunities between governmental stakeholders and key partners from civil society.

New label for cultural events

[18/06/2008] The "Council of Europe Cultural Event" label has been awarded for the first time to cultural projects which through their artistic and cultural work convey strong messages about the Council of Europe’s work and critical issues of the European societies. 

Intercultural Cities programme launched

[19/05/2008] Has multiculturalism failed and what interculturalism is actually about? This was among the issues discussed at a Conference in Liverpool from 1 to 3 May 2008 where the Intercultural Cities programme was launched.

Culture Watch Europe approved

[12/05/2008] At its Plenary Session on 5-6 May 2008, the Steering Committee for Culture approved the Council of Europe’s cultural governance observatory function, CultureWatchEurope. The function includes optimal linking and strengthening of existing information and monitoring tools, resulting in the production of targeted policy and trend reviews, as well as increased liaison opportunities between governmental stakeholders and key partners from civil society.

Towards Integrated Spatial Management

[07/05/2008] "Landscape in planning policies and governance: towards integrated spatial management" was the theme of the seventh meeting of Council of Europe workshops for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention which was held in Piestany, Slovak Republic, on 24-25 April 2008.

Funding Heritage in South East Europe

[07/05/2008] The Joint Action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission for rehabilitating European heritage is entering into a new phase with the launching of the "Ljubljana Process – Funding Heritage Rehabilitation in South-East Europe" during the conference, organised by the Slovenian EU Presidency on 13-15 May 2008 "New Paradigms, New Models – Culture in the EU External Relations".

Memorandum for enhanced co-operation

[23/5/2008] Addressing new environmental challenges: Memorandum signed for enhanced co-operation between the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the Council of Europe Bern Convention.

European Heritage - a new series

[27/03/2008] Two new publications in the European Heritage series deal with integrated conservation based on projects carried out in South East Europe. The first in the series, Analysis and reform of cultural heritage policies in South East Europe, addresses heritage policies and legislation and institutional key areas to be considered in priority. The second, Integrated Management Tools in South East Europe, focuses on the concept of integrated conservation of the cultural and natural heritage – the term "heritage" used in its broadest sense to include the concept of cultural environment. It deals with three topics: documentation systems; the heritage dimension in environment, regional development and town planning; and permits, controls and penalties concerning heritage conservation work.

New pilot intercultural cities

[27/03/2008] Berlin Neukölln (Germany), Izhevsk (Russia), Lyon (France), Melitopol (Ukraine), Reggio Emilia (Italy) and Subotica (Serbia) have joined the club of cities managing cultural diversity not as a threat but as a resource. Rejecting xenophobic fear, prejudice and demagogy, these cities seek to involve foreigners in local governance, support the ethnic economy, work hand-in-hand with media to encourage a positive public image of immigrants and minorities and invent new models for intercultural policies. The Intercultural cities programme – a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission - provides a space for exchange, mutual support and creative experimentation with strategies based on diversity as a source of innovation, dynamism and growth.

41 now online!

[04/03/2008] The 9th edition of the Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe is now online. Armenia and the Slovak Republic have joined the Compendium, bringing the number of participating countries to 41.

Your questions on the Bern Convention answered

[25/02/2008] The last issue of the Questions and Answers Series has just been published. It is about the "Bern Convention”, the other name given to the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats which was signed in 1979 in Bern and entered into force in 1982. The brochure presents the Convention, its mechanisms and fields of action. A cd-rom presenting all the adopted recommendations is included.

Lublin first pilot intercultural city

[07/02/2008] Lublin in Poland is the first city to be selected to participate in the pilot phase of the Intercultural Cities programme - a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. As a border city historically at ease with diversity and population movements, Lublin is now beginning to project itself as an "open city" where minorities and newcomers feel encouraged to help shape the city's future.

Turkey requests a cultural policy review

[24/01/2008] The Turkish Government has decided to take part in the National Cultural Policy Review programme. Turkey is the 29th member state to take part in a Council of Europe cultural policy review. This programme provides comprehensive policy analysis and advice to help member countries optimise their cultural policies.

Serbia 46th state to ratify the Bern Convention

[24/01/2008] On 9 January 2008 the Republic of Serbia signed and ratified the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. The Convention, also known as the Bern Convention (1979), is a binding international legal instrument which protects rare and endangered animal and plant species and natural habitats. Serbia’s ratification, effective as of 1 May 2008, brings the number of States Party to the Convention to 46, showing the genuine concern of governments for nature protection.

A convention for our audiovisual heritage

[23/1/2008] The European Convention for the Protection of Audiovisual Heritage entered into force on 1 January 2008 following the 5th ratification of the treaty. The Convention is the first binding international instrument in this field. It builds on the compulsory legal deposit of the cinematographic works. Systematic storage and preservation of the works in film archives is a first step towards access and use by future generations.