To counter inequality, populism, climate change and technological advances, the role of culture and heritage must be elevated on the political agenda and in public opinion. This is a call to action rooted in hard facts, Lars Ebert, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović and André Wilkens write. Europe stands at a critical juncture, facing war, division, and polarization which are eroding the very fabric of our societies.
As decades of peace and European cooperation are threatened, the fundamental purpose of the European Union seems increasingly undermined amidst growing societal inequality and the misuse of culture and identity to divide rather than connect communities. It's a time when we must not only react to these challenges but actively reimagine and rebuild the future of Europe with culture and cultural heritage at its core. As the European Parliament elections have shown, voters’ distrust of democracy and its institutions is significant.
As a consequence, too many citizens are tempted to turn towards political forces that support the adoption of populist or extremist agendas, and these choices will shape the world of tomorrow. The European Union needs to gear up its capacity to act together — as a community of shared values but also as a union based on shared political, military, economic, social and cultural interests. It risks fading away as a relevant actor and credible partner.
Why does culture and heritage matter? Europe is a product of millennia of culture of exc.
