Doc. 9273
29 October 2001

Diaspora cultures

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Roseta and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only

the members who have signed it

1.       European cultures have spread far beyond Europe and are present in many places in North and South America, in Africa and in Asia.

2.       Today, in Europe, many expatriate communities – both of Europeans and non-Europeans – represent cultures that differ from those of the host countries. Very often those communities maintain strong ties with their countries of origin and with other communities of the same origin, thus creating cultural networks around the world.

3.       Some diaspora cultures, such as the Armenian, Greek or Jewish, are well known but most Council of Europe member states have their own diaspora too.

4.       The Assembly is convinced that diaspora cultures can benefit both their countries of origin and host countries and believes that the Council of Europe has a role to play in improving relationships between them.

5.       Therefore the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

i.       study, possibly in cooperation with Unesco, the different relevant diaspora cultures with a view to identifying interaction, in the cultural field, between countries of origin and host countries;

ii.       encourage exchanges between different networks of diaspora cultures;

iii.       improve, whenever possible, learning and teaching about diaspora cultures.

Signed : 1

Roseta, Portugal, EPP/CD

Baciu, Romania, SOC

Billing, Sweden, EDG

Galoyan, Armenia, EPP/CD

Ionescu, Romania, EDG

Isohookana-Asunmaa, Finland, LDR

Kalkan, Turkey, EDG

Kiely, Ireland, LDR

Kofod-Svendsen, Denmark, EPP/CD

Legendre, France, EDG

O’Hara, United Kingdom, SOC

de Puig, Spain, SOC

Rakhansky, Ukraine, UEL

Schicker, Austria, SOC

Troncho, Portugal, SOC

1        SOC: Socialist Group