“A Soul for Europe” together with Narodowy Instytut Audiowizualny (National Audiovisual Institute, Warsaw) will organise “FORUM WROCŁAW – Culture and Active Citizenship in the Development of Europe”, a one-day-discussion on 10 September 2011 in Wroclaw. The Forum takes place within the framework of the European Culture Congress (8-11 September 2011), initiated by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, as part of the cultural programme of the Polish EU Council Presidency. At Forum Wroclaw, three main topics will be discussed with politicians, representatives of EU institutions, film makers, business people and representatives of civil society: • Panel 1: Culture and Economy in the development of Europe • Panel 2: European Capital of Culture – A model for culture? • Panel 3: The impact of the European Union Cultural Programmes and their future shape – An approach to discuss some examples of MEDIA and CULTURE programmes Film maker István Szabó will deliver the opening keynote at the conference. Further participants include: EU Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, Professor for Economy Pier Luigi Sacco, Minister Michal Boni, MEP Doris Pack, Director of Culture and Cultural and National Heritage at the Council of Europe Robert Palmer, Under-Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Monika Smolen, Director-General for Education and Culture Jan Truszczynski and Director of the International Cultural Centre Krakow Jacek Purchla as well as “A Soul for Europe” Strategy Group members Kathrin Deventer, Gabriella Gönczy, Yuriy Vulkovsky and Rarita Zbranca. For some background information, read the interview with Nele Hertling and Sven Neumann “Nothing Happens without Activism”. The event is supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Department for Coordination of Preparation and Operation of Polish Presidency of the European Union Council at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project implemented as part of the European Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council 1 July – 31 December 2011. Furthermore, at the occasion of the European Culture Congress, the European House for Culture, initiated by the European Festivals Association (EFA), is holding a “Check Stop meeting”, a regular gathering of the members and partners of the European House for Culture. Related links and documents: • Programme Forum Wroclaw • A Soul for Europe • European House for Culture • European Culture Congress