(L-R) Eric Thill, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture; Hanna Wróblewska, Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage;
Credit: Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
On Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 April 2025, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Eric Thill, participated in the informal meeting of European Union culture ministers held at the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw.
According to Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture, the aim of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union on this occasion was to foster in-depth discussions among ministers on three key topics currently prominent at the European level:
- Safeguarding cultural heritage, particularly in the face of natural disasters and the destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage due to Russia's war of aggression. Ministers shared insights into their respective national plans and measures to anticipate or counteract threats to cultural heritage, often linked to climate change or human activities such as mass tourism. In the presence of Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, Mykola Tochytskyi, discussions also addressed additional support that EU member states can provide to Ukraine. Minister Thill emphasised the need for genuine European coordination to maximise the impact of aid and to underscore that culture unites Europe as a community.
- The “Cultural Compass” as a future strategic framework to guide EU cultural policies. Following consultations initiated in March, ministers exchanged views on the principles that should shape this framework. Minister Eric Thill noted that “this Compass must represent the EU’s vision for culture, as well as the vision of culture for the EU,” and that the approach should therefore be pragmatic and realistic, “focused on those it is intended to support - namely cultural actors, artists and cultural professionals.”
- The situation of young artists and cultural professionals in the labour market. Based on a study by Professor Marek Krajewski from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ministers discussed national measures to support young artists facing challenges such as employment instability and difficulties accessing social benefits.
According to Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture, these discussions are set to continue at the next Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting on Tuesday 13 May 2025 in Brussels.
IK
