European Parliament President Martin Schulz insists on the importance of young Europeans and young artists for Europe Amid the current European debates on competitiveness and banks, the crisis in the European Union has today been addressed through a different perspective by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. During an exchange held with Paul Dujardin, CEO and Artistic Director of the [http://www.efa-aef.eu/en/festivals/members/profile/977/BOZAR%20Festival/]Centre for Fine Arts of Brussels (BOZAR), and various press representatives, President Schulz highlighted the importance of young people and young artists to re-strengthen the European project and reconnect it with its citizens. Within the dividing debate taking place for the 2014-2020 budget at EU policy level between those advocates of more austerity and those of more solidarity, he lamented the absence of ‘culture’ in that debate. With social cohesion, he fears that culture could be one of the first policy fields which could suffer from financial cuts in the near future. The following months will be crucial in this respect with the forthcoming position of the Parliament and the Council on the new Creative Europe programme for culture and media. To the question raised by Mr Dujardin on how could culture and artists better help the European Union, he firstly acknowledged that the biggest problem now is the mistrust between people against national and European public institutions. He said that young cultural operators and artists are needed to give a new impulse to Europe. They are those, he believed, who are able to mobilise young Europeans. “For young people, the EU is precious, only if it can help them for their future and make them feel that they are respected. We cannot lose them,” he said. To gather European citizens, the President also highlighted the need for open places for people to defend the idea of Europe, its values and enhance mutual understandings. Beyond the image of Europe within its borders, the President also recognised the importance of the image of Europe in third countries. Mr Dujardin explained that the perception of Europe in other continents was very positive, essentially thanks to culture. Nurturing this image is therefore essential. The President agreed with this, taking the example of the Arab Spring, a key priority for the European Union. He noted that more actions to connect European and Arab artists should be developed so as to support the democratic process in those countries. President Schulz will participate to a debate on ‘Europe and the Arab Spring’, with Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, at BOZAR in Brussels on 19 June. More information available at: [http://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=12508&lng=en]www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=12508&lng=en" target="_blank">Centre for Fine Arts of Brussels" target="_blank"> European Parliament President Martin Schulz insists on the importance of young Europeans and young artists for Europe Amid the current European debates on competitiveness and banks, the crisis in the European Union has today been addressed through a different perspective by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. During an exchange held with Paul Dujardin, CEO and Artistic Director of the [http://www.efa-aef.eu/en/festivals/members/profile/977/BOZAR%20Festival/]Centre for Fine Arts of Brussels (BOZAR), and various press representatives, President Schulz highlighted the importance of young people and young artists to re-strengthen the European project and reconnect it with its citizens. Within the dividing debate taking place for the 2014-2020 budget at EU policy level between those advocates of more austerity and those of more solidarity, he lamented the absence of ‘culture’ in that debate. With social cohesion, he fears that culture could be one of the first policy fields which could suffer from financial cuts in the near future. The following months will be crucial in this respect with the forthcoming position of the Parliament and the Council on the new Creative Europe programme for culture and media. To the question raised by Mr Dujardin on how could culture and artists better help the European Union, he firstly acknowledged that the biggest problem now is the mistrust between people against national and European public institutions. He said that young cultural operators and artists are needed to give a new impulse to Europe. They are those, he believed, who are able to mobilise young Europeans. “For young people, the EU is precious, only if it can help them for their future and make them feel that they are respected. We cannot lose them,” he said. To gather European citizens, the President also highlighted the need for open places for people to defend the idea of Europe, its values and enhance mutual understandings. Beyond the image of Europe within its borders, the President also recognised the importance of the image of Europe in third countries. Mr Dujardin explained that the perception of Europe in other continents was very positive, essentially thanks to culture. Nurturing this image is therefore essential. The President agreed with this, taking the example of the Arab Spring, a key priority for the European Union. He noted that more actions to connect European and Arab artists should be developed so as to support the democratic process in those countries. President Schulz will participate to a debate on ‘Europe and the Arab Spring’, with Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, at BOZAR in Brussels on 19 June. More information available at: [http://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=12508&lng=en]www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=12508&lng=en.