Conference on the impact of EU enlargement on cultural opportunities across Europe

The Budapest Observatory prepared this conference with EUCLID (UK), and the the official Hungarian Cultural Contact Point. Plenary 4 and the adjoining workshops were organised in conjunction with CIRCLE - Cultural Information and Research Centres Liaison in Europe.

You can read the recommendations, the programme, the report on the sessions, the list of participants and the biographic notes on the speakers and presenters, as well as some preliminary questions aiming to fuel the discussions. Or, the full report on one pdf file (495kb).

The conference aimed to develop further links, both theoretical and practical, between the cultural sectors of the European Union and the Accession Countries - and to discuss the impact of enlargement on the wider Europe. The conference was a well-timed event to address the challenges that enlargement is likely to highlight: ranging from national and European bureaucracy to the differences in traditions, cultures, languages - both within the enlarged European Union and in respect of the rest of the continent. The conference managed to bring together over 200 participants from all parts of Europe.

The event was supported by the Hungarian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Unesco, the Visegrad Fund and the Austrian Science and Research Liaison Office. Patrons: Mrs Viviane Reding, Commissioner of the European Union for Education and Culture, and Mr Ferenc Mádl, President of Hungary.

The venue of the deliberations was the historic (1864) main building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, at a few steps from the Chain Bridge, a European landmark. The opening session was held in the neo-classical building of the now 200-year-old national Museum, while the the neo-gothic House of Parliament was host to the closing session.