Special Session – Romania and the Council of Europe: roles and goals for culture and heritage

Under the auspices of the Romanian Ministry of Culture, in the context of the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe and 70 years since the adoption of the European Cultural Convention, the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) was invited to convene its second meeting of 2024 in Bucharest on 30 and 31 May. The event was organised by the National Institute for Cultural Research and Training, in partnership with the National Institute of Heritage, at the National Museum of Art.

On the occasion of these anniversaries, the CDCPP Bureau meeting exceptionally included a Special Session focusing on the theme “Romania and the Council of Europe: roles and goals for culture and heritage”, which brought together distinguished international and national keynote speakers, Romanian authorities, managers of cultural institutions, scholars, diplomats, cultural policy experts and other culture professionals. The session highlighted the importance of the Council of Europe’s policies, strategies and good practices in promoting the role of culture in a democratic society, while outlining the work that Romania is undertaking to advance and implement its shared values and standards.

The main topics that were addressed include: Romania’s journey as a member of the Council of Europe, the importance of public policies in a democratic society, the European Heritage Days, the European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21st century (Strategy 21), Cultural Routes and relevant case studies.

As a pan-European intergovernmental structure with responsibility for the Council of Europe’s unique culture, heritage and landscape conventions, the presence of Council of Europe high-level representatives and the CDCPP Bureau members in Romania was a valuable occasion to raise awareness of the Council’s positive impact on people’s daily lives over three-quarters of a century, protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law.