Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-02-Speech-3-155"
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"en.20000202.12.3-155"2
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"Madam President, I will add to the unanimity of the evening and say that I support the adoption of Culture 2000 and add my thanks to the rapporteur, Mr Graça Moura, who took over from our former colleague Nana Mouskouri. Both of them have done a first-class job.
Alongside the debate we had earlier on in the day, culture may not seem that important, but it is; and we have to be careful in the European Parliament not to allow the urgent to get in the way of the important.
Why do I say that culture is important? Well in simple economic terms, Europe’s culture adds to genuine prosperity. Where would Europe’s tourism industry be without the richness of our culture? But, more importantly than that, cultural activities are what make mankind civilised. Culture is at the root of our democratic beliefs; and an uncultured society is not going to sustain tolerance and freedom and democracy.
Cultural diversity is important, and it is under threat. However, it is not under threat from Europe. Many people in my country say they see British culture being under threat, for example, from Portugal, from Germany, from Finland, for heaven’s sake. We do drink port wine, and we do like German beer, and we even use Finnish saunas, but it is not from Europe that culture is under threat. What I do see right across Europe is people drinking Coca Cola, eating hamburgers, wearing baseball caps, watching Hollywood films and often doing all this at the same time. Now I do not believe that protectionism and regulation is the way of defending Europe’s culture, but I do believe in lending a helping hand when we can. That is what Culture 2000 is about.
So, I say to the Council of Ministers: Keep this programme genuinely under review. Are we doing enough? And, I say to Madame Reding, thank you for the support and the help you have given so far, keep up the good work, we are on your side."@en1
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