The two-day meeting of the EU Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council concluded on Tuesday in Brussels, with discussions focusing on the promotion of key European initiatives in the fields of culture and sport.
During a press conference following the conclusion of the proceedings, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Vasiliki Kassianidou, described the Council sessions as particularly productive, noting that they led to the implementation of key commitments of the Cypriot Presidency.
Kassianidou stressed that the Cypriot Presidency set as a core priority the advancement of funding programmes such as Erasmus+ and AgoraEU, as well as other initiatives in the fields of education, culture, youth and sport.
Particular emphasis was placed on the agreement on the AgoraEU programme, which the Deputy Minister described as a significant step forward for the cultural and creative sectors, the media, and civil society.
She noted that the programme aims to support artists, journalists, cultural organisations and citizens, contributing to democratic resilience, social cohesion and civic participation. At the same time, she added, it strengthens the dissemination of Europe’s cultural diversity and cultural heritage.
Referring to the EU Work Plan for Culture 2027-2030, Kassianidou said the Ministers’ discussion offered a constructive opportunity to define the future direction of European cultural policy.
She noted that it represented a substantial step towards the preparation and adoption of the Work Plan by the end of the year.
She explained that this work is complementary to the ‘Culture Compass’ initiative, which provides a strategic framework to guide the future of European cultural policy while maintaining the necessary flexibility to adapt to new developments.
She also stated that the objective is to complete the relevant negotiations and sign the joint declaration ‘Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe’ in June next year, under the Cypriot Presidency.
During the Council, Ministers also adopted conclusions on sport tourism as a driver of sustainable development, with Kassianidou stressing that this represents another important achievement of the Cypriot Presidency.
At the same time, within the discussions, the issue of mental health in sport was raised, with emphasis on the need for more comprehensive, preventive policies.
She stressed the importance of ensuring more preventive, inclusive and cross-sectoral approaches, including stronger safeguarding mechanisms, education and awareness-raising, as well as enhanced cooperation between sport, health and education policies.
The Deputy Minister concluded that the Council reflects the contribution of the Cypriot Presidency towards a more inclusive and resilient Europe, with emphasis on investment in people, social cohesion, and the safeguarding of democratic values.