Declaration for Safeguarding Cultural Heritage is adopted by European Affairs and Culture Ministers

On 3 May 2019, European Union Member State ministers responsible for European affairs and ministers for culture met in Paris for an informal meeting focusing on joint ways to better preserve European cultural heritage. The meeting resulted in a declaration calling for the mobilization of a network of experts, youth involvement and existing funding models.

The meeting was organized by the  French  Ministry  of Culture   and   the   French Ministry   for   Europe   and   Foreign   Affairs,   together with   the   Romanian Presidency  of  the  Council  of  the  European  Union  and  in  the  presence  of  the  European Commission. It followed the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire in Paris, France, and a letter by President Macron to his European counterparts concerning the safeguarding of cultural heritage.

The declaration states that, in order to preserve and better protect shared European heritage, a European network on heritage expertise available in the EU should be formed. The network would provide advice about identification, protection and/or restoration of endangered European heritage when needed by the Member States of the European Union. It is also stated that young people to a greater extent should be involved in heritage conservation and restoration efforts. Existing financial resources for issues related to the safeguarding of endangered heritage should also be mobilized.

Read the declaration here.