Future action by the Council of Europe in the cultural field

Recommendation 401 (1964)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 4th November 1964 (11th Sitting) (see Doc. 1820, report of the Cultural and Scientific Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 4th November 1964 (11th Sitting), as amended

The Assembly,

Having regard to its Resolution 257 (1963) on the development of European cooperation in the cultural field;

Having noted the text proposed by the CCC on a "cultural policy" [(1) See Appendix I to Doc. 1820.];

Having noted the Recommendations of the ad hoc Committee to examine the work of the Council for Cultural Co-operation and its organs, which met at Strasbourg from 25th to 28th May 1964 (Doc. 1806);

Having regard to Recommendation No. 1 of that report, on the future programme of the CCC;

Recalling that the components of that programme should be :

a to bring new ideas, new techniques, new achievements discovered in one member country to the attention of all and facilitate their adaptation to the needs of other interested Members;

b to pool national achievements and make the people aware of their common responsibilities as Europeans;

c to increase the educational potential of each country;

d to promote the study of the particular questions brought to its notice by the Resolutions of the Conference of European Ministers of Education, which have adopted the principle of identifying particular subjects requiring collective study ;

e to multiply instruments of practical co-operation between European educationalists;

f by close organic co-operation, to help Governments to enable Europeans to enjoy the training and environment needful for the constant renewal of the creative genius, particularly by preparing them for active participation in "a civilisation of leisure";

g to facilitate exchanges of persons and cultural material between different countries;

h to develop mutual aid between member countries;

i to make known to both Europeans and non-Europeans the ideas, conceptions and creative works of the European genius, and to prepare Europeans for their responsibilities with regard to their cultural heritage";

Adopting the proposal of the ad hoc Committee that, with a view to facilitating the concentration of its programme, the CCC should be invited to re-group its activities in broad categories covering, where appropriate, several specialised sectors;

Having regard to Recommendation No. 2D, "National machinery", which stipulates that "the development of specialised activities in the various fields of competence of the CCC calls for a further strengthening of the national machinery for European cultural co-operation";

Being of the opinion that the Recommendations of the ad hoc Committee should be considered as only a stage in the development of the CCC and that it is highly desirable that a new effort be undertaken as soon as possible with a view to strengthening this institution still further, thereby adapting it to the real needs of European cultural co-operation;

Having taken note of the Cultural and Scientific Committee's report on the development of European co-operation in the cultural and scientific fields (Doc. 1820),

Adopt the proposals of the CCC and the ad hoc Committee regarding the future cultural programme of the Council of Europe ;

Provide the Cultural Fund and the Directorate of Education and of Cultural and Scientific Affairs with the resources required to carry out that programme ;

Consider most attentively the Recommendations of the ad hoc Committee on the need to strengthen national machinery for European cultural co-operation.