Motion for a recommendation | Doc. 13277 | 04 July 2013

Culture preservation in crisis and post-crisis situations

Signatories: Ms Ismeta DERVOZ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD ; Mr Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Josep Anton BARDINA PAU, Andorra, ALDE ; Mr Christian BARILARO, Monaco, ALDE ; Ms Gülsün BİLGEHAN, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Raphaël COMTE, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Paolo CORSINI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Carlos COSTA NEVES, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Şaban DİŞLİ, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Sir Roger GALE, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Karl GARÐARSON, Iceland, ALDE ; Ms Alina Ştefania GORGHIU, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Rafael HUSEYNOV, Azerbaijan, ALDE ; Ms Orinta LEIPUTĖ, Lithuania, SOC ; Ms Vesna MARJANOVIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Mr Philippe NACHBAR, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Florin Costin PÂSLARU, Romania, SOC ; Mr Armen RUSTAMYAN, Armenia, SOC ; Mr Ludo SANNEN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr André SCHNEIDER, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Damir ŠEHOVIĆ, Montenegro, SOC ; Mr Robert SHLEGEL, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Ahmet Kutalmiş TÜRKEŞ, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Piotr WACH, Poland, EPP/CD

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

In post-conflict situations, the recognition of cultural diversity, encompassing both heritage and creativity, can serve as a positive force behind dialogue, mutual understanding, reconciliation, social stability and reconstruction. The Council of Europe has an important role to play to assist governments and local authorities to build constructive partnerships amongst diverse public and private stakeholders in order to engage in intercommunity mediation, to develop intercultural sensitivity particularly among young people and to encourage cultural exchange. Additionally, challenges remain how to preserve the identity and diversity of a historic cultural landscape and heritage, while meeting the pressing need for reconstruction.

The Parliamentary Assembly should give its political impetus to the implementation of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (Faro Convention, 2005). Moreover, the Assembly should recommend to the Committee of Ministers to pursue the European Union-Council of Europe regional assistance programmes for reconstruction in South East Europe, and to develop a similar programme for the Caucasus region.