FOSTERING THE UNION THROUGH CULTURE AND THE ARTS

An online event organised under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU

March 29 & 30, 2021

This Summit stems from the idea that providing higher education ecosystems — students, researchers, teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as communities outside the campi — free access to cultural heritage, exposure to contemporary artistic discourses, and opportunities for expression through artistic experiences will contribute to the construction of a university culture at once scientific and artistic, guided by the principles of constant innovation, attention to the Other and ecological responsibility. Although in some countries a consistent cultural policy is already in place, it is time we acknowledge the urgency of forging a generous and generalised plan for the arts for higher education institutions across the EU, capable of fostering creativity, inclusion and wellbeing, and bringing about civic engagement and public value: a cultural progress which engenders social progress.

The Summit is jointly organised by the University of Porto and the Portuguese National Plan for the Arts. It is in keeping with the New European Agenda for Culture (2018) ¹ and with the action lines of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union ² to create a resilient Europe. It will convene representatives from all EU countries to map practices and debate the crucial and democratic role that the Arts may play in the repositioning of EU universities in the world. Hopefully, this will be a step towards constructing a cultural corridor for EU higher education students.

This Summit will be transmitted on this platform, as well as on YouTube. No registration needed!

+INFO: www.university-and-culture.pt