culture Solutions’ 2025 in review
In 2025, culture Solutions strengthened its engagement with EU cultural relations through a series of high-level forums, webinars, roundtables and collaborative discussions. We continued to advocate for culture as a strategic dimension of EU external action for democracy, youth empowerment, and trust-based partnerships.
On 1 April 2025, the art exhibition “Changemakers – from committed art to democratic artivism” was inaugurated at the European Parliament in Strasbourg by the Cultural Outreach Unit in presence of MEPs Myriam Lexmann, Chair of the Artistic Committee, Nela Riehl, Chair of the CULT committee, and Lina GALVEZ, Chair of the FEMM committee. culture Solutions was represented by Elise Cuny, alongside leading European cultural organisations including the European Cultural Foundation, Culture Action Europe, Europa Nostra, ENCACT and EUNIC Global.
Between 2 and 4 April 2025, the Forum on the Future of the Mediterranean took place in Granada under the Spanish Presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean. culture Solutions’ Chair Elise Cuny contributed to the session on youth employment and gender equality in the Mediterranean region. The first dialogue for the new Pact for the Mediterranean, organised by the Anna Lindh Foundation and the European Commission, coincided with the Forum, and Elise Cuny joined the panel on “Taking stock of and recalibrating the EU’s international cultural relations in the Euro-Med”.
On 11 April 2025, culture Solutions (Elise Cuny) and the South African Cultural Observatory (Amy Shelver) co-hosted the Deconfining Coffee Chat: Africa–Europe cultural relations, an informal online exchange organised by Sylvia Amann, connecting cultural professionals from across continents. The session explored the challenges and opportunities of Africa–Europe cultural cooperation with a focus on building resilient cultural ecosystems. Participants reflected on the Deconfining policy recommendations “Building the Missing Links with Culture: An Optimistic Policy Vision Based on Good Relations” and discussed culture Solutions’ recommendations for renewed Africa-Europe creative partnerships. Amy Shelver, Associate Researcher at the South African Cultural Observatory shared perspectives on up- and reskilling approaches for youth in the creative economy in the digital age.
Between 18 and 20 June 2025, Celia Zayas took part in the Anna Lindh Foundation Forum in Tirana, Albania on behalf of culture Solutions. She moderated the panel “A Shared Heritage: Reconnecting Mediterranean Youth through Culture”. The session explored how cultural cooperation can strengthen youth engagement across the Mediterranean and foster renewed dialogue around shared heritage.
On 22 September 2025, culture Solutions organised the webinar EU’s International Cultural Relations: Reality Check, presenting the handbook “The EU as a Global Cultural Power”. The event featured the editor Mafalda Dâmaso and contributing authors Avril Joffe, Matina Magkou, Andrew Murray, and Alessandro Lamonica. The discussion offered a critical view on the current state of EU international cultural relations and cultural power, the gap between strategy and practice and a shift to bottom-up, low-scale and digital projects in ICR that account for the need for equitable and trust-based partnerships and financial restrictions. Recording of the webinar is available in both full video and shorter podcast formats.
In the context of preparations for the European Union’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), culture Solutions joined policy discussions on the future of EU external cultural funding. On 23 September 2025, Ludovica Fionda represented culture Solutions at the roundtable organised by the European Parliament as part of its long-term budget campaign Invest in What Matters. Members of the European Parliament, alongside representatives of European cultural networks, discussed the proposed budgetary framework. Read here the two-part blog series with reflections on culture in the next MFF.
Between 29 September and 1 October, Celia Zayas represented culture Solutions at Mondiacult 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, and took part in a workshop co-hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and the Africa-Europe Foundation. A culture Solutions paper was published in the Mondiacult digital library, reviewing emerging trends and perspectives in Africa-Europe cultural relations and highlighting the organisation’s contribution to international debates on culture and sustainable development.
On 22 October, culture Solutions participated in the first event of the Africa–Europe Innovation Platform, “Bridging Continents through Innovation”, held in Brussels. The discussions focused on strengthening Africa–Europe cooperation through joint research, innovation and digital transformation, particularly in the cultural and creative industries.
On 4 November, Elise Cuny took part in the 5th South African Cultural Observatory Conference, where she presented findings from a joint research project supported by the Africa–Europe Foundation. The panel discussed future-oriented Africa–Europe cultural cooperation, highlighting the need for smarter investment, stronger sectoral structures and better preparation for digital transformation in the cultural and creative industries.
On 5 December, culture Solutions supported the Peace Education Conference organised by HWPL and partners at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and online, focusing on integrating Peace Education into public policies and educational systems in support of dialogue and sustainable international cultural relations.
Through these engagements, culture Solutions pushed for a better perception and understanding of cultural relations in the EU’s global role and external partnerships. We opened spaces for cultural practitioners, researchers and policy-makers to meet and advance their reflection together, all while supporting our collaborators including young ones to start and pursue their career and contribute meaningfully to trust-based international cultural relations.
Interested in inviting culture Solutions members as experts or moderators at your event? Contact us now.