Reply to Recommendation
| Doc. 14207
| 23 November 2016
- Author(s):
- Committee of Ministers
- Origin
- Adopted
at the 1271st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (16 November 2016). 2017 - First part-session
- Reply to Recommendation
- : Recommendation 2093
(2016)
1. The Committee of
Ministers has examined Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2093
(2016) on “Culture and democracy” and brought it to the attention
of the governments of member States. It also communicated it to
the relevant committees for information and comments.
Note
2. The Committee of Ministers regards a culture of democracy
as a powerful tool for preventing violent extremism and radicalisation,
promoting democratic citizenship and developing well-being and social
cohesion. It welcomes the Parliamentary Assembly’s support for the
intergovernmental work aimed at shaping new cultural and intercultural
processes in the member States. It thanks the Assembly for the proposals
made in the recommendation, in particular concerning enhanced co-operation
between different sectors of the Council of Europe in the area of
cultural policies and diversity management and supporting projects
aimed at integrating cultural activities in other policy sectors.
The Committee of Ministers will bear these proposals in mind when
it considers the Programme and Budget for future biennia.
3. The Assembly recommends that member States better integrate
cultural activities into the education system and improve access
to culture for marginalised and underprivileged children and young
people. In this connection, the Committee of Ministers underlines
the part which could be played here by the Reference Framework of
Competences for Democratic Culture. The model describes the essential
competences for learners wishing to participate effectively in a
culture of democracy and live peacefully together with others in culturally
diverse democratic societies. The Committee of Ministers also refers
to the guidelines it issued to the member States in Recommendations
CM/Rec(2016)2 on the Internet of citizens,
CM/Rec(2015)3 on the access of young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods
to social rights and
CM/Rec(2016)7 on young people’s access to rights, which address some
issues raised by the Assembly.
4. With regard to the Indicator Framework on Culture and Democracy
(IFCD) mentioned in paragraph 3.3 of the recommendation, the Committee
of Ministers would inform the Assembly that the CDCPP finalised
and approved the indicator framework in June 2016 and that a launch
event is scheduled in October 2016 in Brussels in co-operation with
the European Union. This joint activity is a practical and topical
example of the co-operation that takes place between the Council
of Europe and the European Union in the area of promoting European
cultural values. The Committee of Ministers welcomes this co-operation
and encourages the relevant bodies to continue developing it.
5. Lastly, the Committee of Ministers would inform the Assembly
that the CDCPP has just finalised a draft European Cultural Heritage
Strategy for the 21st Century, drawn
up in the light of the conclusions of the Council of Europe Conference
of Ministers responsible for Heritage (Namur Declaration, April
2015). The strategy is intended to contribute to good governance
and the development on a participatory basis of cultural heritage management
policies. It also aims to help construct peaceful societies, conscious
of their diversity and the richness this represents. The Committee
of Ministers will give this draft strategy close attention.
