Felix Meritis - Europees centrum voor kunst, cultuur en wetenschap

A Soul for Europe

A Soul for Europe is a pure civil society initiative started in Berlin in 2004 and developed across Europe. The Felix Meritis Foundation has been a core partner since the beginning and since 2009 it's one of the founding members of the pan-European Initiative registered as an E.E.I.G. in Brussels. The goal of the initiative is to see Europe use its cultural as a strategic factor in Europe's development – at local, regional and national levels as well as at the level of central European institutions.

In the words of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso at the first Berlin Conference "A Soul for Europe" in 2004 "The EU has reached a stage of its history where its cultural dimension can no longer be ignored."  

The cultural soul of Europe is becoming increasingly more important to bring Europeans together.

It also increases the ability of the EU to act in its relationships with neighbouring states and the rest of the world. For this reason, the initiative aims to help move cultural activities out of their cultural confines and make them effective for Europe as a whole. At the same time, it aims to expand European issues that were previously shaped by economic and political forces to include a cultural dimension.

Since the beginning of the initiative in 2004, A Soul for Europe has developed several projects. Namely:

The bi-annual Berlin Conference. The conferences organised in Berlin every 2 years are the major events in the context of the A Soul for Europe initiative and the Felix Meritis Foundation is an important co-operating partner in this activity. The Latest Edition of the Berlin Conference A Soul for Europe was held in November 2010. Read more

Forum X.  One of the most audacious A Soul for Europe project is the organisation of Forums in various cities across Europe aimed at spreading the initiative's core message and at the involvement of local, national and European actors from all corners of Europe. Forums have been held in Istanbul (2010), Guimarães (Oct 2009), Lyon (October 2008), Pecs (Nov 2007), Tbilisi (oct. 2005 & 2007) ; Belgrade (March 2007, October 2008); Porto (Jan. 2005) Read more

Mobilising Culture for Regional Development (MCRD) aims at define guidelines to prove the potentiality of culture in stabilizing structures in public life and the public sphere, in developing and consolidating civic structures, promoting social and cultural cohesion, reconciling local and regional conflicts as well as developing economic activities and structures. A number of Civil society organisation from South-Eastern Europe are developing this project in co-operation with A Soul for Europe and The Felix Meritis Foundation. The guidelines will be presented at the bi-annual Berlin Conference 2008 and to The European Parliament and other politicians across Europe. Read more

Discourses on Europe engages prominent European intellectuals to discuss Europe, its aims, chances and risks with representatives of the European Union institutions such as The president of the European Commission Jose M. Barroso to create a special kind of "European public forum". Read more

Cities and Regions. Culture cannot be taken care of or be controlled by European institutions. "European culture" takes place in cities and regions, in all its actual diversity. Europe's cultural performance and identity is being shaped by local and regional activities, institutions and individuals. Read more

External link: "A Soul for Europe"

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