748th meeting – 3 April 2001
Item 7.3
“Europe, a common heritage” – A Council of Europe campaign - Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1465 (2000)
(Recommendation 1465 (2000))
Decision
The Deputies adopted the following reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1465 (2000):
“The Committee of Ministers has considered Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1465 (2000) on “Europe, a common heritage” - A Council of Europe campaign and has forwarded it to their Governments, as well as to the Cultural Heritage Committee (CC-PAT). It wishes to express its gratitude to the Parliamentary Assembly for its whole-hearted support of this Campaign, initiated by the Second Summit of the Heads of State and Government (Strasbourg, 10-11 October 1997), and active participation in it.
The Campaign's organisational outline and methods were endorsed by the Foreign Affairs Ministers in Budapest on 6-7 May 1999. The 47 Contracting Parties to the European Cultural Convention, observer States, as well as governmental and non-governmental international organisations active in the field of cultural heritage have been involved in the campaign. National committees or equivalent structures have been set up in 37 countries. The details of various programmes launched by them are available in the revised version of the Campaign's book.
The following international organisations have shown their unconditional support to this Council of Europe Campaign: the European Commission, UNESCO, Europa Nostra, ICOMOS, ICOM. A joint Council of Europe/European Commission Campaign Programme included five activities: European Heritage Days; an international photographic competition and three transnational projects:
- the ancient universities route,
- the decorative arts workshops,
- the European traditional musical heritage.
The campaign was launched in Bucharest and Sibiu (Romania) on 10-13 September 1999, with participation by a hundred guests from 40 European countries and was enthusiastically received by the public.
Specific campaign launch ceremonies have been organised in several member states, such as Andorra, Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovak Republic and Turkey. The list of other international events appears in Appendix I to this reply. The list of various transnational projects organised in the framework of the Campaign appears in Appendix II.
One of the key objectives of the Campaign was to realise a common experience as Europeans, not simply based on common interests but in the need to create a common framework of reflection. The Campaign has served to rethink the objectives and benefits of the European cultural heritage and, through it, to define the Europe of today's Europeans, as their own point of reference, redefining values, commitments and practice, taking account of the fact that the ways of imagining Europe are no longer defined solely by institutionalised public authorities. The Campaign has contributed to reading the everyday reality of Europe.
Europe has come to be understood as a form of citizenship and its heritage - as a platform for discovering renewed and necessary forms of sociability between citizens, professionals and governments. The Campaign has attracted a wide range of public, especially children and young people, as a potential investment in the citizens of tomorrow. Information on the campaign was sent out by electronic means to journalists covering heritage throughout Europe. A Council of Europe website on the Campaign has been functioning since 1st March 1999 and up-dated daily.
Heritage is an arena of multiple references, and the Campaign has explored the extent to which these were shared, and in which way. In addition, an attempt was made to assess the forms of appropriation going beyond the ties of each faith or each culture defined on its own terms. How can the foreign be defined in what is one's own, and how can one's own be found in what is foreign?
On a more particular question, the Committee of Ministers wishes to inform the Parliamentary Assembly that the European Landscape Convention was adopted by the Committee of Ministers and opened for signature, in the framework of the Campaign, on 20 October 2000 in Florence, on which occasion 18 States signed it.
It should be noted that the overall evaluation of the Campaign and its follow-up will be conducted at the 5th European Conference of Ministers responsible for the Cultural Heritage (Portoroz, Slovenia, 5-7 April 2001).”
Appendix I
International events
15-16 April 1999– Berlin (Germany): European conference on "Heritage conservation and employment", organised by the German National Committee for Heritage Protection, bringing together representatives of the European institutions, authorities, conservation services and specialised firms as well as organisations for the reintegration of the unemployed and volunteers.
22-24 April 1999 – Brussels (Belgium): colloquy on “European Heritage Days: the secret of their success and challenges for the future”, jointly organised in the framework of the campaign by the Council of Europe, the three Belgian regions and the King Baudouin Foundation.
3 - 4 June 1999 – Strasbourg: the Naturopa Centre organised in Strasbourg, on the occasion of the annual meeting of its National Agencies and in the framework of the campaign, a seminar on the theme “Nature as heritage: from awareness to action”.
11 September 1999 – Henrichenburg (Germany): launch of the "Year of industrial culture 2000 - the German contribution to the European Campaign". The ceremony was part of an information session for journalists on the subject of safeguarding and reusing the Ruhr region's industrial heritage, the intention being to make the Ruhr a region for the promotion of modern technology.
7-8 October 1999 – Strasbourg: a European Association of Historic Towns and Regions was formally established at a conference held by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE).
15-16 October 1999 – Nice (France): 1st international conference on “Tourism and travel heritage”. The conclusions of the conference were presented by the European Foundation for Heritage Skills at the Cultural Heritage Fair in Paris.
4-7 November 1999 – Paris (France): Cultural Heritage Fair. Press conference on the campaign jointly organised by the Council of Europe and the French national committee for the campaign.
February/March 2000 - Santander (Spain): International festival of documentary films on cultural and natural heritage.
10-11 April 2000 – Tarsus (Turkey): International Conference on “the religions at the time of beliefs and tolerance”.
May 2000 – Spain: conference on “Nature, a common European heritage”.
June 2000 – Strasbourg: « Film Festival». It will focus on films where cultural heritage is central. 10 national committees are contributing films: Belarus, Cyprus, France, Italy Lithuania, Portugal, Russian Federation, Romania, Slovak Republic, Turkey. A contract will be signed with the “Cinéma Odysée” to organise the festival, recruit the jury and prepare the screenings/debates. Eurimages will also collaborate in this project.
June 2000 – Edinburgh (United Kingdom): conference on “Tourism and cultural heritage”.
September 2000 – Bern (Switzerland): official launch of European Heritage Days.
September 2000 – Oslo (Norway): international congress on voluntary organisations in the field of heritage.
13 October 2000 – Thessaloniki (Greece): colloquy on the cultural route “Monastic influence” and transfrontier co-operation between Greece, Bulgaria and FYROM, following publication of three cultural-tourist guides as well as the creation of three documentaries on Via Egnatia monasteries, organised by Greece with the participation of the Council of Europe and the European Institute of Cultural Routes. Projection of the documentaries and presentation of the tourist guides to participants, to the public and the media.
20 October 2000 – the Florence Conference, including the ceremony of price award to the winner of the international photography contest.
Autumn 2000 – Tbilissi (Georgia): conference on “Democratic transition, market economy and cultural heritage”.
7-10 December 2000 – Riga (Latvia): closing ceremony of the campaign.
6-7 April 2001 – Portoroz (Slovenia): 5th European Conference of Ministers responsible for Cultural Heritage. This conference will evaluate the results of the campaign and formulate a political declaration defining the action lines for the future.
Appendix II
Transnational projects
29-30 November 1999, Strasbourg: Launch of the "Decorative arts workshops in Europe" project. The following workshops have already agreed to take part in the first meeting : La Granja and Fundacion Real Fabrica de Tapices (Spain), Sèvres (France), Herendt (Hungary), Capodimonte (Italy), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Kütahya Porselen (Turkey). The experts consider it necessary to meet for an editorial project on royal decorative arts workshops in Europe, a subject missing from the current bibliographic panorama. The main goal of the project is to identify a common European area for the decorative arts. The work of an expert and three other meetings are planned for the year 2000.
9-12 December 1999, Alcalá de Henares: Launch of the "Ancient universities route" project. This project is presented at a press conference held at the European Journalists' Association in Madrid on 19 November 1999. The first meeting is attended by vice-chancellors and professors from the universities of Leuven (Belgium), Zagreb (Croatia), Alcalá de Henares (Spain), Tartu (Estonia), Montpellier III (France), Bologne (Italy), Krakow (Poland), Trnava (Slovakia), Istanbul (Turkey) and Oxford (United Kingdom).
17 December 1999: Meeting of the European Association of Historic Towns and Regions (AEVRH) Bureau.
December 1999: Launch of the "Naturopa" magazine 91/1999 issue devoted to the Campaign under the title "Nature: a common heritage of humanity".
13 January 2000, Strasbourg: 2nd meeting of the "Traditional musical heritage in Europe" experts' group.
19-21 January 2000, Strasbourg: The progress of the Campaign is reported to the members of the CDCC at a plenary meeting.
24 January - 12 February 2000, Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers' Foyer: Exhibition of medieval mural paintings of the Gemer (Gömör) district churches (Slovakia), organised by the Permanent Representations of Slovakia and Hungary.
24-25 January 2000, Strasbourg: Launch of the "Religious monuments and sites: towards a culture of religions" project.
25 January 2000, Press Center, Strasbourg: Press conference on the "Religious monuments and sites: towards a culture of religions" project.
25 January 2000, Council of Europe, Strasbourg: Meeting with the NGOs enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe ("Towns" and "Rural world and environment" groups).
3-4 February 2000, Strasbourg: "Role of heritage in a changing Europe", meeting within the framework of the forward thinking activity steering committee.
7 February 2000, Strasbourg: The CC-PAT Bureau takes note of the state of progress of the Campaign.
16 February 2000: At the 699th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies, presentation of the Campaign's state of progress.
23 February 2000, Strasbourg: Second meeting of the Presidents or representatives of National Committees or other equivalent working structures in charge of the Campaign under the presidency of Mr Zsolt VISY (Hungary). The Campaign's development at an international level is examined and the activities organised by their National Committees or equivalent working structures are presented.
25 February 2000, Strasbourg: Presentation of the Campaign's state of progress at the CLRAE Standing Commission.
8-10 March 2000, Strasbourg: Presentation of the Campaign's state of progress during the CC-PAT meeting.
13-14 March 2000, Montpellier: 2nd meeting of the "Ancient universities route" project, dedicated to intellectual heritage of universities.
16 March 2000, Strasbourg: Presentation of the Campaign's state of progress at the Culture Rapporteurs Group of the Ministers' Deputies.
5 April 2000, Strasbourg: Presentation of the State of progress of the Campaign to the "Education and Culture" group of the NGOs enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe.
6-7 April 2000, La Granja : Conference "Perception and protection of landscapes".
7-8 April 2000, Strasbourg: "BALZAC, History of a passion". Cultural activities including a recital, a literary promenade, an exhibition and a conference-debate organised by the Permanent Representations of France, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Ukraine to the Council of Europe.
8 May 2000, London: Ceremony organised by the National Trust on the Grand Turk frigate, attended by Mr Chris SMITH, Minister of State for Culture, and Lord RUSSELL JOHNSTON, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
15-17 May 2000, Dublin: Debate on the report by Mr Takis HADJIDEMETRIOU, Chair of the Subcommittee on cultural heritage, on the Campaign, during the meeting of the Standing Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly.
29-30 May 2000, Sibiu: Restricted thematic meeting of the activity "Functions of heritage in a changing Europe".
20 June 2000, Strasbourg: Meeting of the jury of the "International photography competition <http://culture.coe.fr/postsummit/pat/en/eprojnat06.htm>" project.
23 June 2000, London: Restricted thematic meeting of the activity “Functions of heritage in a changing Europe”.
26-28 June 2000, Bucharest and Sighet: Launch of the "Wooden cultures throughout Europe" project.
21-27 June 2000, Strasbourg: "Cinema and heritage" festival, Odyssée Cinema.
July 2000: Bologna: Third meeting of the "Ancient universities route" project.
2-3 September 2000, Bern: Official launch of the European Heritage Days 2000.
8 September 2000, Strasbourg: 3rd meeting of the "Traditional musical heritage in Europe" project.
14-15 September 2000, Strasbourg: Meeting of the "Industrial Heritage" project.
28-29 September 2000, Safranbolu: 2nd meeting of the "Wooden cultures throughout Europe" project.
5 October 2000: Joint meeting with the Slovenian authorities to prepare the Ministerial Conference.
11-13 October 2000, Berlin: Conference on "Sustainable tourism and employment"
23-24 October 2000, Krakow: 4th meeting of the "Ancient universities route" project.
27-28 October 2000, Luzern: Conference on "Heritage of tourism and travel <http://culture.coe.fr/postsummit/pat/en/eprojnat01.htm>".
21 November 2000: Meeting of the Landscape Award jury.
7-10 December 2000, Riga: Closing ceremony of the Campaign.
9 February 2001 to 3 March 2001, Benaki Museum, Athens (Greece): itinerant exhibition on the theme “Time and days”, organised jointly by the European Institute of Cultural Routes and Benaki Museum (Athens), Hungarian Museums, Pest Department (Museum Tragor Ignac de Vacs, Museum Petofi d'Aszod), Association “Kék Dolmàny” (Hungary), Musée de Bouxwiller (Bas-Rhin, France), Musées du Parc des Vosges du Nord, Théatre du Marché aux Grains, Le grand Jeu, Maison du Kochersberg, (Bas-Rhin, France), Luxembourg Festival of Echternacht and the Private Collection of Christiane Burckell.
24-25 February 2001, Benaki Museum Athens: international scientific colloquy on the theme “Rites, ritual, ritualize”.
6-7 April 2001, Portoroz: 5th European Conference of Ministers responsible for the Cultural Heritage. Theme: "Cultural Heritage and the Challenge of Globalization".