#CulturalHeritageInEurope - High-level conference on 26 June

The conference takes place in the context of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, which aims to raise awareness and involve citizens more closely in cultural heritage at local, regional, national and European levels.

Lawmakers will discuss with political leaders, artists, representatives of museums and other cultural institutions and foundations the challenges for European heritage, as well as how to make it more innovative and harness its economic potential.

WHERE: European Parliament, Brussels, Hemicycle

WHEN: Tuesday, 26 June 2018, 14-19h

Ahead of the conference, organized together with the Culture and Education Committee, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said: “From Caravaggio to Rembrandt, Bach and Molière, European creativity gave life to our immense cultural heritage. We are the continent with half of the UNESCO world heritage sites. Europe is still leading in several sectors of the cultural and creative industries. Wherever you go in the world, Europe is a synonym for style, know-how and beauty. This is our leadership. A leadership which cannot be delocalized and which has to serve as our springboard for political and economic renewal. Even more than our economy, culture is the glue which holds Europe together, and culture must be the starting point for our efforts to revitalize our Union.”

A group of well-known artists will give gravitas to the debates. Artistic exhibits and live performances, from classical music to contemporary music, will accompany the event.

Jean-Michel Jarre , composer, performer and record producer, Daniel Barenboim, pianist and conductor, Ezio Bosso, conductor and composer, Radu Mihaileanu, film director, president of ARP ( the Civil Society for Writers, Directors and Producers) and former honorary president of the Lux prize selection panel as well as Thierry Marx, chef, and Mathilde De L’Ecotais, photographer, director and designer, will all take part in the event.

After the opening session, hosted by Tajani and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the conference will be structured around three themes:

- Cultural heritage and Europeanness, underlining the political and social significance of cultural heritage;

- Preserving and promoting cultural heritage, highlighting the need to raise awareness among Europeans about this issue;

- Innovation and the economic potential of cultural heritage or how can we innovate to promote growth in the creative sector and the tourism industry?

Press conference at 15h30

Tajani and Commissioner Tibor Navracsics will give a joint press conference at 15h30, in the European Parliament press conference room (Anna Politkovskaya room, PHS 0A50).

Programme of the event

You can follow it live here.

Twitter: #EuropeforCulture