Minister Vaida Aleknavičienė in Brussels: culture must become a cornerstone of Europe’s democratic resilience
On May 12–13, Minister of Culture Vaida Aleknavičienė attended a meeting of the Council of Ministers for culture and the audiovisual sector of the EU in Brussels, as well as bilateral meetings with representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament.
The meeting adopted the Council’s partial general approach on the regulation for the new “AgoraEU” programme (2028–2034). This programme will merge the Creative Europe (CULTURE and MEDIA strands) and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programmes. Lithuania advocated that the new regulation should place greater emphasis on ensuring fair competition conditions for smaller markets, guarantee Member States’ participation in the governance of the programme, and address issues related to European historical memory.
The Council also held a discussion on the EU Work Plan for Culture 2027–2030. Vaida Aleknavičienė emphasized the need to closely link cultural policy with the protection of democracy by strengthening cultural institutions as spaces for free expression, dialogue, and critical reflection.
“In shaping the new European Union Work Plan for Culture, we aim to make culture a cornerstone of democratic resilience. In today’s geopolitical context, we cannot remain passive – we must strengthen cultural institutions as spaces for free expression and critical thinking. Another priority is ensuring close cooperation among member states at the EU level to protect cultural heritage from potential crises. In this area, it is also important for us to draw on Ukraine’s experience as well as maintain a unified EU response by increasing support for culture and cultural heritage sectors in Ukraine,” said Minister Vaida Aleknavičienė.
During discussions on current issues in cultural policy, the Minister of Culture expressed strong opposition to russia’s participation in the Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, emphasizing that artistic freedom must not be used as a cover for state-controlled propaganda.
In meetings with European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education Nela Riehl, Minister Vaida Aleknavičienė introduced the priorities of Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU. She emphasized the need to integrate the protection of cultural heritage into EU crisis response mechanisms, to assess the impact of artificial intelligence on copyright, and to address the changing media landscape.
While participating in the event “Twin it! 3D for Europe’s Culture,” the Minister of Culture presented the 3D digital model of the Palanga manor palace and the new Lithuanian heritage platform “ekultūra”. This digital platform brings together the content of the country’s memory institutions and cultural organizations into a single portal, opening Lithuania’s cultural treasures to researchers and the public across Europe.
Last updated: 13-05-2026
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