|
|
 |
 |
|
In
fulfillment of its aim of achieving a greater unity within
member states in order to safeguard their common heritage
and to facilitate economic and social progress, the Council
of Europe has for more than 25 years pursued a vigorous programme
of cultural co-operation and celebration. High-level political
debate within the European Conference of Ministers has led
to the adoption of a number of key texts and associated recommendations.
In the field of cultural heritage these have been translated
into practical programmes of technical consultancy, assistance,
training, and raising of public awareness. Through its own
experience and through being able to draw on an enormous resource
of accumulated expertise within the member states, the Council
of Europe is uniquely equipped "to help national, regional
and local authorities to tackle complex issues of enhancing,
managing, and preserving the cultural heritage in an integrated
way."
To move from questions of principle to issues of practical
application, it is essential to act within a framework of
agreed guidelines and standards that are allowed to evolve
through changing times and circumstances. Such a framework
carries with it the authority achieved through consensus and
enables individual countries and organisations to move forward
on the basis of commonly agreed assumptions and conclusions,
avoiding the need for the re-invention of solutions to settled
questions. As the number of states that have acceded to the
European Cultural Convention has grown to over 40, it has
become more and more necessary not only to promote common
values in the management and enhancement of the cultural heritage
but also through cultural co-operation to provide the common
mechanisms that allow us to preserve, celebrate, and enrich
that heritage for the benefit of those who follow. Accurate
documentation is fundamental to this task.
José María Ballester
Head of the Cultural Heritage Department
Council of Europe |
top | previous | next
contents | foreword | introduction | standards | appendix | bibliography |
|
