(30 August 2016) – Today the Commission has put forward a proposal to the European Parliament and Council to designate 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage.
The EU’s rich national, regional and local diversity is a unique catalyst for exchanges between people of all ages, social backgrounds and cultures.
At a local level, Europe’s cultural heritage fosters social cohesion and integration through the regeneration of neglected areas, the creation of locally rooted jobs and the promotion of a shared sense of community.
In addition, cultural heritage plays a strong economic role. Over 300,000 people are directly employed in the European cultural heritage sector and 7.8 million European jobs are indirectly linked to cultural heritage, for example in tourism and building works, ancillary services such as transport, interpretation services, maintenance and security.