Culture is an essential component and a key factor for the effective delivery of the core mission of the Council of Europe to promote human rights, the practice of democracy and the rule of law.

Promoting culture as the "soul of democracy" means advocating strong cultural policies and governance - aimed at transparency; access; participation and creativity; respect for identity and diversity; intercultural dialogue and cultural rights – as the basis for respectful and tolerant living together in an ever-more complex world.