Print
See related documents
Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 14999 | 21 October 2019
Safeguarding and enhancing intangible cultural heritage in Europe
1. The Committee of
Ministers has carefully examined Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2148 (2019) on “Safeguarding and enhancing intangible cultural heritage
in Europe”. It has brought it to the attention of the governments
of member States and forwarded it to the entities concerned. 
2. The Committee of Ministers recognises the fundamental role
that culture and heritage play in upholding democratic values and
building citizenship, as well as in furthering crucial processes
of community building, inclusion and management of diversity. It
considers that the Council of Europe instruments and programmes, including
the European Cultural Convention, the Council of Europe Framework
Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (CETS No. 199,
Faro Convention), the European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the
21st Century (Strategy 21), the Council
of Europe Cultural Routes Programme, the European Heritage Days
and the European Heritage Network (HEREIN) offer an excellent framework
for cultural heritage preservation standards and policies in Europe,
as underlined by the Assembly.
3. It takes due note of the Assembly’s recommendations and it
acknowledges the benefits of developing a policy vision in the area
of intangible cultural heritage and making better use of cultural
and heritage resources to meet the growing mobility and migration
challenges, while drawing on Council of Europe standards and tools.
4. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the idea of more interactivity,
where possible, between the culture, heritage, education and youth
sectors of the Council of Europe on finding innovative ways of interlinking
intangible cultural heritage with the process of building democratic
citizenship. The European Heritage Days are an example of the implementation
of such interactivity.
5. It also takes note of the interest in further developing models
and methods of participatory governance based on Council of Europe
standards to help set up community participation in this area. Among
practical tools which can be useful here, the Committee of Ministers
underlines collection of good practices and making them available
to member States and other interested players at different levels.
It welcomes the initiative of the publication in June 2019, as part
of the French Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, of a compendium of
good practices based on Strategy 21. It encourages wide dissemination
of this tool.
6. Lastly, concerning co-operation with UNESCO and the European
Union, the Committee welcomes further enhancement including regarding
the Faro Convention and Strategy 21. This applies particularly in connection
with the work of the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and
Landscape, including the exchange of information and use of information
systems, shared application of work methodologies and running existing
Joint Projects in areas of common interest and developing new ones.