Declaration on the necessity of culture and media as a safeguard for our European democracies

The Danish Minister of Culture has secured support for a declaration on the necessity of culture and media as a safeguard for our European democracies. The Minister has brought together the European culture and media ministers to issue the declaration supported by 26 EU countries as well as the UK, Ukraine, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

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The governments agree to the following guiding principles:
• Our citizens must live in societies with free and independent cultural life.
• Our citizens must live in societies where culture and cultural heritage is
safeguarded for the benefit of society today and for future generations.
• Our citizens must have access to reliable information and to an information
environment free of foreign interference.
• Our citizens must live in societies with free, resilient and independent media.
• Our citizens must be able to participate in public debate and democratic
conversations.
• Our citizens – especially our children – must be presented with and have access to free and diverse European content.
• Our citizens must be protected against digital replicas of their personal
characteristics without consent.

As stressed by the Minister, it is crucial we stand together. Unity makes us stronger.

Thank you to the Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt and the Danish government for showing leadership, and to Europe for its crucial support.