Cultural Sector Joins Forces and Calls for Bringing Back Culture on the EU Agenda

On 23 September 2019, NEMO attended the event "Act for Europe through Culture" in Brussels, Belgium. The event offered a platform for the participants to debate the place of arts, culture and cultural heritage in remit of the future European Commission.

The NEMO Executive Board attended the event during its two day board meeting. At the event, the participants got to know some of the newly elected MEPs and their take on culture. In the light of President-elect Ursula Von Der Leyen recent announcement of her team for the next European Commission and their portfolios on 11 September 2019, the discussions partly revolved around the disappearance of culture in Mariya Gabriel’s portfolio “Innovation and Youth”.

After the exchange between participants and MEP’s, it was concluded that “a commitment to culture is key for the next Commission leadership. This needs to be translated in a concrete responsibility at the highest political level”.

It was also noted that the event participants’ “active involvement convinced us that together we are stronger and we can succeed in positioning culture at the heart of Europe with a well-deserved central place in the new Commission’s responsibilities."

“Act for Europe through Culture”, was organised by the European Cultural Foundation and Culture Action Europe, in cooperation with the European Heritage Alliance 3.3 and BOZAR.