We contribute independently to the excellence of EU international cultural relations with the opening of creative trust-building spaces, the production of commons and the brokerage of know-how.
Culture Solutions Europe was created as a French association on 23 October 2018 in a context of uncertainty and questioning of the European integration project, while technological change is affecting the ways Humanity deals with an ecologically threatened planet.
We follow a specific Theory of Change.
This blogpost is the last on Africa-Europe Week and discusses the main trends in EU-AU cultural relations by positioning them along what we have observed to date with EU and Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) relations. What key topics persist? How have these advanced in the last months?
The rise of new voices and calls for a reset of the Africa-Europe political agenda means that new spaces for inclusive cultural relations dialogue could and should emerge. Are you wondering how? Find out in the third blog post of the series.
Continuing with the analysis and lessons learnt from the first-ever Africa-Europe Week, we now turn to the five main priorities of any future cultural programming agenda in this thought-provoking article by Nicole McNeilly, Gabrielle Bernoville, Valeria Mesía and Celia Zayas.
The submission draws the attention to the role of culture and cultural diversity in sustainability matters, which remains mostly absent from existing sustainability reporting standards.
The rapid digitalisation of the cultural and creative sector requires effective international norms and frameworks for trade and cooperation. This brief analyses the promotion of diverse digital cultural content in recent EU trade agreements and innovative initiatives.
This Brief led by Lilian Hanania explores the ways in which companies promote and make visible cultural diversity in their non-financial reporting.
We are now widening our membership system in order to unite more like-minded individuals. Joining the association gives you voice and vote, and offers you an opportunity to directly influence EU cultural relations.
culture Solutions collaborates with both EU institutions and independent organisations.
cS is a non-profit organisation and our collaborators work pro bono. Help us continue creating commons in the sphere of EU international cultural relations.
We welcome skilled professionals and motivated graduates or young professionals to join our dynamic and innovative team.
Pietro de MatteisAdvisor on public diplomacy
Email address: Pietro.DE-MATTEIS@eeas.europa.eu
Phone: +32 2 584 3296
Something special about him:
Pietro is responsible for developing a more joined-up approach to European Public Diplomacy and has been involved since early stage in the drafting of the Joint Communication “Towards an EU Strategy for International Cultural Relations”
He is also at the origin of flagship Public and Cultural Diplomacy initiatives under the Partnership Instrument, such as the Cultural Diplomacy Platform, the EU Film Repository for Film Festivals, the EU Alumni Engagement Initiative and EU Policy and Outreach Partnership (EUPOP) contracts worldwide. Currently he is working to frame Public Diplomacy under the upcoming EU Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027).
Merete BildeSpecial advisor on Religion and Foreign Policy
Email address: Merete.Bilde@EEAS.europa.eu
Phone number: +32 474439195
Something special about her:
She works on issues at the cross section of religion and foreign policy. This includes (geo)political aspects of religion as well as cross cultural/religious relations. She has been involved in a number of networks of diplomats and faith-based political actors meeting regularly in an effort to bridge the gap in understanding between religious and secular worldviews.
She is the driving force behind the EEAS Task Force on religion and culture as well as EEAS training course on Religion and Foreign Policy with the aim to develop collective awareness and skill-set to appreciate the role of religion (whether helpful or problematic) and its implication for diplomatic work. Ms. Bilde is one of the two co-founders of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Foreign Policy in 2015. This policy network builds on a former EU-led Likeminded Group of diplomats working on religion/diplomacy nexus, which she set up in the mid 2000’s.
She has been engaged in various initiatives relating to issues such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief as well as the defamation debate. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, her work has focused heavily on the new political actors and the new regional dynamics at play, including between the new Middle East and the US and Europe. Prior to her current appointment, Merete Bilde worked in the Policy Unit of EU High Representative, Javier Solana (2005-09) and before that she served as a Danish diplomat (1994-).
Ms. Bilde was a Bosch Public Policy Fellow at the Transatlantic Academy during its 2014-15 fellowship year which focused on religion and its role in the liberal order. She wrote a short piece on the Brussels perspective on Religion and Diplomacy in the resulting publication ‘Faith Freedom and Foreign Policy – Challenges for the Transatlantic Community’.
More recently in 2020, Ms. Bilde was asked by British Council and their Bridging Voices project to offer her ‘Reflections on Dynamics and Trends in Transatlantic Approaches’. Just as she was asked to give an interview to Religions For Peace on Why Faith Matters – also in diplomacy.
We are working to add contacts in the Committee of the Regions dealing with cultural relations.
