Brussels: Europe and the Arab World

An important message was adopted by the European Union's culture ministers in the conclusions approved in Brussels today, Friday. The ministers stressed the need to protect and promote culture in all its forms, and European cultural heritage, as essential factors in building and maintaining democratic resilience. The current rotating presidency of the EU, held by Denmark, stated, "Democracy is not sustained by political structures alone, but is nurtured in our libraries, museums, cinemas, archives, and theaters – spaces where people learn critical thinking, empathy, and belonging. Today, we are sending a clear message: protecting culture and cultural heritage is essential to protecting democracy itself." According to a European statement quoting Danish Culture Minister Jacob Engel Schmidt, the statement added, "Culture, cultural heritage, and audiovisual works play a vital – though often undervalued – role in sustaining democratic societies. By providing spaces for everyone, these works promote civic engagement and instill a sense of belonging and connection to community, history, and shared values."

The Council calls on EU member states to contribute to safeguarding our European values ​​by promoting culture and cultural heritage, including protecting artistic freedom and facilitating access to cultural activities and heritage, particularly multilingual content. It also highlights the importance of integrating cultural institutions, such as libraries, museums, and archives, into crisis preparedness planning.

Furthermore, the ministers recognize the importance of international partners such as the Council of Europe and UNESCO and encourage the Commission and Member States to continue their efforts to protect and promote cultural rights and cultural diversity in cooperation with these partners.

Finally, the Council calls on the Commission to consider raising awareness of the role of culture, cultural and linguistic diversity, and cultural heritage in consolidating shared values ​​and democratic resilience, for example, in implementing the recently launched "Cultural Compass" initiative.

The Council of Europe's Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 prioritizes the promotion of cultural diversity and heritage as a means of consolidating European values ​​in a free and democratic Europe.

Protecting European democracy through cultural resilience was a priority for the Danish Presidency of the Council. On November 4, 2025, ministers from 26 EU member states, as well as the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, signed a declaration prepared by the Presidency on the need for culture and media as a guarantee for European democracies.