‘Culture can help to overcome crisis’ says minister
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
09.09.2011 12:08
Speaking on the second day of the European Culture Congress currently being held in the south-western city of Wroclaw, Culture Minister Bogdan Zdrojewski has said that culture has a “responsibility to overcome crises” in other parts of our lives.
Speaking to Polish Radio 3, Friday morning, Zdrojewski underlined that people cannot function without culture, saying that “we are not able to survive without [it].”
Bogdan Zdrojewski added that “the lack of access to culture […] is a result of a lack of education, not money, although the latter does play a significant role.”
According to the culture minister, the Wroclaw Congress should bring about concrete decisions that should be implemented throughout the whole of the European Union, such as greater access to culture as well as subsidies for public libraries.
“Work on a new media bill should get off the ground after the elections [on 9 October,” Zdrojewski mooted.
The European Culture Congress is the largest event planned within the auspices of the Polish presidency of the EU Council. Over 300 artists, academics, philosophers and activists have descended on Wroclaw to take part in the Congress as well as its sideline events.
The event’s second day includes an informal meeting of EU culture ministers, whose agenda will take up matters concerning archive digitalisation as well as artist copyright regulations. (jb)