Šarūnas Birutis at the meeting of EU ministers in Warsaw: support for culture is an investment in a more secure future for Europe
Protection of cultural heritage in the face of war and crises, support for Ukraine’s cultural sector, strategic guidelines for the European Union’s (EU) cultural policy, and the status of young artists in the labour market. These were the main issues discussed on the 7th and 8th of April at the meeting of the EU’s ministers of culture in Warsaw, attended by Minister Šarūnas Birutis.
At the meeting, the EU’s ministers of culture listened to a presentation by Mykola Tochytskyi, Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, on his country’s experience in preserving its heritage in wartime.
At the meeting of the EU’s ministers of culture in Warsaw, Minister Birutis outlined Lithuania’s preparedness for possible threats: ‘Lithuania is actively doing its homework in preparing for crisis situations and possible armed conflicts: updating of emergency plans and continuous training have become part of the daily routine of cultural institutions. All outstanding cultural heritage sites in Lithuania are marked with the Blue Shield, the emblem of the Hague Convention, procedures for the protection and evacuation of movable cultural assets have been adopted, and drills are being conducted. Harmonious cooperation between heritage authorities, rescue services, the police and the army remains the main challenge, and we plan to improve this interaction.’
The Minister of Culture, Šarūnas Birutis, also stressed the need to address at the EU level the issue of long-term preservation of digital cultural heritage beyond national borders. He noted that Lithuania fully supports Ukraine’s EU membership and is ready to support its cultural integration processes. According to Minister Birutis, it is important to maintain a cultural dimension in Ukraine’s reconstruction plans and to take into account its current needs in the areas of preservation, restoration, and digitisation of cultural assets as well as training, where Lithuania is already making an important contribution. As a concrete example of support, Minister Birutis mentioned the UREHERIT project, co-funded by Creative Europe and led by Lithuania. This initiative aims to preserve and restore Ukraine’s cultural heritage by bringing together European and Ukrainian architects and heritage specialists.
During the discussion of the EU’s strategic direction on culture—‘the Compass for Europe’s Future’—Minister Birutis stressed the need to integrate culture into the EU’s security and defence agenda, as it is culture that strengthens the public’s resilience to disinformation and hybrid attacks. It is important, he said, to continue support for Ukraine’s cultural sector, to strengthen programmes for the dissemination of EU values, to foster historical memory, and to ensure sufficient funding for Creative Europe, a programme that protects the diversity of European culture.
A separate session looked at the labour market situation of young artists and cultural professionals, and presented a study on the subject commissioned by Poland. Minister Birutis shared Lithuania’s experience, presenting the starting artist grants, residency programmes, and the social security system for artists. At the same time, he drew attention to the still pressing problem that a relatively small proportion of creators are able to make a living solely from their professional activities, and that it is therefore necessary to work towards better pay for artists and cultural professionals.
Photo by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland
Last updated: 25-04-2025