EP Elections Podcast with Luca Jahier

April 3, 2019, 11:48 am

In the run-up to the European Parliamentary Elections, Culture Action Europe together with the cultural and creative sectors advocates for a future for culture and for Europe that is democratic, diverse, fair, free, human, inclusive and vital.

As part of our EP elections campaign, CAE has launched a podcast series dedicated to discussing key cultural topics with influential figures in Europe and culture. Our intention is to discover their views on fundamental questions relating to culture’s contribution to Europe and to foster awareness among EU citizens, empowering them to make informed decisions as voters in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

In this episode of Salon Culture podcasts, our colleague Sophie Dowden interviews Luca Jahier, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). They discuss vital topics, emerging from our campaign appeal, that call for a stronger recognition of the cultural dimension of the European Union and culture’s contribution to Europe. As Mr. Jahier notes at the beginning of this interview, “the first step is to recognise the force of the cultural actors in any level for what they can bring to society.”

The episode begins by addressing the need to preserve cultural diversity and protect freedom of artistic expression, both of which are increasingly under threat in the current political climate. On this topic Mr. Jahier states that “the challenge today is to reaffirm that Europe is based on these fundamental freedoms” and adds that “in this, culture has an enormous role to play and we have to see the specific problems that cultural actors could find in this larger framework that is under attack.”

In discussing further challenges facing cultural workers, notably their access to adequate labour conditions and fair remuneration, Mr. Jahier confirms that there is a “necessity to revise the conditions of protection, the conditions not only of welfare but also of social security, to include also this sector.”

Mr. Jahier also insists on the importance of supporting artists and cultural workers in their mobility rights considering that “culture has a key role in the external relations of the EU and as a stabiliser, an instrument to rebuild trust.” He concludes that if we want to favour exchange, it is necessary to allow for mobility in the cultural sector.

Click on the player below for the full interview with EESC president Luca Jahier.

Join us in supporting the EESC campaign #LEuropaebella calling for a more united Europe, more democratic, more inclusive, more ecological, more welcoming, more dynamic, more aware of its strengths, its creativity and cultural wealth.

Salon Culture #7: Interview with Luca Jahier (EP Elections Special)

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Original music arranged by Alexander Gentsch.

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