merrion street

The Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton TD, this morning launched two days of cultural celebration and discussion in Temple Bar to mark Europe Week. These events were supported by the Communicating Europe Initiative and the Department of the Taoiseach.

Speaking at Culture and the Economy, a conference looking at new ways of valuing culture, organised by Temple Bar Cultural Trust, the Minister said: “Given the serious financial situation in which we find ourselves, it is more important than ever that we can present robust arguments about the value of culture to society. We need to be able to make the case, with absolute conviction and certainty, that while culture may need financial support, this should not be seen as an expense but as an investment in our social fabric and in our future.”

“On Europe Day, I would also make the point, which I think must be obvious to this audience, that Europe is only Europe because of a sense of a shared culture. Of course, the European Union operates on the basis of agreed political and economic principles but the foundation of the Union rests on our sense of a shared cultural heritage and identity.”

The Minister informed the conference that communities across Ireland will be asked to get involved in Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2013:

“The Presidency provides the opportunity to celebrate European culture in all its diversity and I would like to see communities across Ireland organising and participating in these celebrations.”

She continued: “Research and innovation will be a major focus of our Presidency and the next framework programme, Horizon 2020, will be negotiated next year. There are obvious opportunities for the cultural and creative industries and the challenge will be to identify and exploit them.”

Temple Bar Cultural Trust will celebrate Europe Day along with a number of cultural partners including, The Gutter Bookshop, Irish Film Institute, Improvised Music Company in the Ireland Literature Exchange. All events take place in Temple Bar and all are free. More information can be found at www.templebar.ie