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Recommendation 1833 (2008)
Promoting the teaching of European literature
1. The Parliamentary Assembly is concerned
to ensure that European literature is passed on – at all levels of
the education system – in all its wealth and diversity, whether
in the form of the written heritage built up over the centuries
or in the form of contemporary writing. This concern for the teaching
of literature prompted a colloquy on the subject at the French Senate
in Paris on 11 December 2007.
2. The Assembly has already stated its position in Recommendation 815 (1977) on freedom of expression and the role of the writer
in Europe, Recommendation
1043 (1986) on Europe’s linguistic and literary heritage, Recommendation 1135 (1990) on literary translation, Recommendation 1383 (1998) on linguistic diversification, Recommendation 1539 (2001) on the European Year of Languages and Recommendation 1740 (2006) on the place of the mother tongue in school education.
3. Knowledge of a language involves more than just mastering
it as a means of communication. Knowledge of great works of literature
enriches thought as well as life itself.
4. Learning one’s mother tongue and its literature plays a major
part in forging a national consciousness among schoolchildren. Learning
other European languages and their literature can help to inculcate
European citizenship.
5. The Assembly notes that some successful transnational experiments
have taken place, particularly with regard to history teaching.
6. It is necessary to go beyond a strictly national conception
of literature teaching and offer schoolchildren at all levels a
transversal approach to Europe’s heritage, highlighting the common
link of respect for cultural diversity.
7. The Assembly recognises that the Internet has become an important
means of access to knowledge and in this connection welcomes the
European Parliament’s proposal to establish a European digital library
in the form of a single, direct and multilingual point of access
to Europe's cultural heritage.
8. Accordingly, the Parliamentary Assembly recommends that the
Committee of Ministers encourage member states, and especially their
education authorities, to:
8.1. rekindle
a desire to read among young people by promoting the teaching of
Europe's literary heritage in all types of primary and secondary
education and by devising appropriate syllabuses for all levels;
8.2. provide this teaching in addition to, and not instead
of, the teaching of mother-tongue literature and the learning of
foreign languages;
8.3. strengthen existing approaches to the teaching of literature
in Europe that emphasise the European dimension;
8.4. present the teaching of European literature as an integral
part of education in European citizenship, taking into account cultural
diversity, in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights
(ETS N°. 5), and the linguistic pluralism of our continent;
8.5. support the translation of texts – past and present –
especially masterpieces of European literature, from and into the
languages spoken in Europe, paying special attention to less widely
used languages;
8.6. consider producing anthologies and teaching material for
European literature appropriate to the various levels and practices
of European school systems;
8.7. develop websites on Europe's literary heritage where all
the citizens of Europe can find texts, bibliographies, literary
history, courses and web links.