0.6.3.5. Resolution on the Commission communication entitled "New prospects for Communtiy cultural action". Resolution prepared by Mr. Roperto Barzanti and adopted by the European parliament on 21 January 1993

The European Parliament,

[...]

whereas, whatever the content, "European culture" must be viewed as an intricate nexus of cultures, each of which is distingued by a rich variety of geniuses and identities which find expression, regardless of geography, in the intellectual traditions which have taken root everywhere,

whereas this diversity of cultures is one of the Community's greatest riches and whereas, for this reason, it must be reserved and strengthened,

[...]

whereas, finallly, that cultural action hitherto pursued by the Community needs to be intensified both with an eye to European Union and to accord he Community a growing role in promoting knowledge, education, and intellectual and critical freedom in a world bearing the deep scars of disunity, xenophobia, intolerance and racism,

[...]

13 Stresses that the reality of Europe as an entity is most noticeable and influential not only geographically, politically or socially or in any other such way, but above all in its culture;

14 Believes therefore that the road to European Union has to be one which displays and promotes Europe's cultural identity which, as a synthetic unit, will be the more apparent the greater the effort and the more efficient the promotion of the various levels of European culture, national, regional and minority;

15 Points to the important role played by the institutions and associations for continuing education in the transference of culture and the cultural development of individuals and groups;

[...]

23 Considers that an intercultural dimension must constantly be sought in order to build bridges between different cultures, whose geniuses must be preserved, while giving pride of place to shared fundamental ideals and the need for mutual understanding and interaction;

24 Considers that the promotion of languages in particular, including so-called regional or minority languages, is an essential practical starting point for a policy on the arts genuinely informed by an approach that seeks to bring out to the cultural diversity of Europe;

[...]

Contributing to the flowering of culture in the frontier-free area

29.

[...]

(c) Welcomes the associations active in the sphere of oral culture and heritage (songs, music and traditional stories); takes the view that such initiatives may help to publicize as widely as possible the cultural heritage shared by the peoples of Europe, and that it will foster the cultures of the outlying and interdeveloped regions of Europe, which are often ignored or loked down on; urges the Commission to support such networks in conjuntion with the Council of Europe;

[...]

Bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore by providing support for specific areas

30.

[...]

(c) Urges that the cultural heritage finally be brought within the scope of the common rules and agreed administrative procedures designed, in accordance with Article 36 of the EEC Treaty, to guarantee proper protection of all assets encompassed within the fabric of national or regional life and which are consequently an irreplaceable means of imparting identity and a sens of belonging;

(j) Points out that aid for translation, to be provided not least through specialized colleges, is the highest of all priorities, assuming that there is a genuine desire to foster greater mutual unterstanding, defend less widely used languages, and hand down the expressive qualities which are in danger every day of being supplanted by sameness and uniformity of more invasive and facile languages;

[...]