Heritage, libraries and access to culture: priorities of the Hungarian Presidency
The Hungarian Presidency, during which Hungary will chair meetings and set the agenda in the Council of the European Union that represents EU national governments, will last from 1 July to 31 December 2024.
This period coincides with a transitional phase in the European Parliament and the European Commission and the appointment of new EU top officials.
In the field of culture, the Hungarian Presidency will focus on improving access to culture, the situation of libraries, and the role of cultural heritage in external relations. As for the audiovisual media sector, there will be a strong emphasis on media literacy education for children.
In particular, the Hungarian Presidency aims to adopt Council Conclusions to improve access to culture. The key culture conference of the Presidency is titled ‘Access is Success – Opportunities and Challenges of Accessing Culture in Contemporary Europe’ and scheduled for 18-20 September in Budapest. The social, community-building, and mental health-preserving roles of culture will be highlighted. Hungary will also pay particular attention to libraries’ role in society. Interestingly, culture is seen as a tool to address demographic challenges, one of Hungary’s overarching priorities in this presidency.
The Hungarian Presidency aims to make the protection of cultural heritage an integral part of the European external policy toolbox. It will promote the implementation of the Council Conclusions on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises (2021) and push for their review. In line with the EU’s Work Plan for Culture, Hungary plans ‘to promote digital access to cultural heritage and increase the number and visibility of cultural cooperation activities and projects.’ Strengthening cultural heritage’s resilience against climate change, natural, and man-made disasters will be important dimensions to frame the discussion about cultural heritage.
The Presidency sees it necessary to explore the possible synergies between the New European Bauhaus initiative and the restoration and renovation of architectural heritage. When modernising buildings for sustainability, it is important to ensure their historical value is preserved. This approach should be a key part of our architectural planning, aligning with the goals of the New European Bauhaus.
In audiovisual media, the Hungarian Presidency will focus significantly on media literacy education and enhancing media awareness among children. The goal is to identify policy measures that can improve media literacy skills at both national and EU levels, evaluate existing gaps based on Member State experiences, and determine intervention areas.
The next meeting of the EU culture ministers (Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council) is scheduled for 25-26 November 2024.
Useful links:
Image credits: Website of the Hungarian Presidency