Inclusive Europe?
The role of culture in reviving the European vision
The European Union almost doubled its membership from 15 to 25 countries just over a year ago. Two more countries are set to join in 2007 and discussions are ongoing about the possible accession of still more. While sheer size and numbers would suggest inclusiveness and the unprecedented success of the European project, the political trends and the social mood within Europe as a whole and in individual countries prove otherwise. The refusal of the European Constitution by majorities in France and the Netherlands stopped (or at least seriously halted) the attempt to help consolidate the enlarged Europe through the deepening of integration. This might foreshadow a long term European stalemate and the weakening of the European vision. Can culture contribute to resolving this near-crisis?
Enlargement to include the ten new countries increased differences within the EU. Differences in economic development between the richest and the poorest regions in Europe are manifold. This intensified fears in West European societies concerning the growth of unemployment through the "invasion of guest workers" from new member states. Inclusiveness of societies could not keep pace with the sudden increase in the number of member-states. The structural problems of the West European social model result in understandable insecurity of societies that perceive the threats to their job security to come not from the competitiveness pressures on Europe as a whole, but from the presence of immigrants. The lack of political consensus and the vision about the future shape of the EU further increase this feeling of insecurity and result in refusing to come to terms with the growing diversity.
What role can culture play in discovering the worth of this increased diversity? And what are the common values shared by the growing number of countries and societies? Can the values of solidarity, tolerance and equality of opportunity be extended to include the newcomers? Can unity over this diversity be created through culture? Can a common European identity be detected in 25 and more societies? Can we conceptualise cultural policies at national and European levels in a way that they contribute to the strengthening of European identity and deepening the integration process?
The lack of enthusiasm and political discontent with both national and European politics and growing hostility towards migrants do not only characterise "old" European states. European societies alike have to come to terms with the following questions: Can immigrants become European? Can they become European while keeping their own culture or only through rejecting it and embracing the culture of the host country? While several political actors, who feed and thrive on anti-immigrant feelings in their society readily use cultural arguments about migrants posing a threat to the home culture, mainstream pro-Europeans still have to come up with a convincing definition of what Europeanness means in the cultural sense. How can we become more appreciative of our differences? How can solidarity and tolerance be reinforced? How can we build a multi-layered European identity?
Short-term material thinking seems to dominate the approach of societies and elites to integration. Old member states fear the loss of transfers or the rise of their payments, while the new define benefits largely in terms of Euros received from the EU-budget. What else Europe is about seems to be forgotten. Culture should play an important role in the much needed rediscovery, re-evaluation and reinforcement of the shared values of an enlarged Europe. Writers, theorists, politicians, social scientists, artists, cultural activists and community leaders should all play a role in this process.
If we assume that culture may play a role in reviving the European vision, policy-oriented questions come to sight. Should we consider making and nurturing culture an explicit priority in European policies? Should we think of strengthening multilateral collaborative cultural projects, and introducing new ones? Should we foster transnational cultural programs? Should we aim at creating and promoting a truly pan-European culture? If yes, what could be the content of such a project? If not, what are the reasons of refusal?
During recent months, all member states have been preparing their National Development Plans for the 2007-13 period of membership, which will be submitted to the European Commission soon. How can we use European funds in these existing frameworks for developing and sponsoring cultural projects? What are the best national strategies and the best practices in planning for culture that helps maintaining diversity and inclusiveness?
I would like to welcome all Excellencies and esteemed guests in Budapest, sincerely hoping that our meeting may offer an opportunity to exchange views about all of these questions and dilemmas. And hopefully, we will reach consensus about at least some of them.
Dr. András Bozóki
Minister of Cultural Heritage
Hungary
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