The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has issued, in partnership with the EPA on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, a new publication presenting its report on “Culture without borders: cultural heritage management for local and regional development” . The report emphasises the power of tangible and intangible cultural heritage as a catalyst for sustainable development, urban regeneration and tourism.
Current challenges facing Europe, from the Russian Federation’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine to the growing threat of climate change, are stark reminders of both the value of our cultural heritage – and its fragility. The report calls for signatures and ratifications of two emblematic Council of Europe Conventions: the Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (known as “Faro Convention”) which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and the Council of Europe Landscape Convention which celebrates its 25th anniversary. It also provides a basis for future Congress action on cultural heritage. This includes the ongoing preparation of reports on cultural heritage and memory and on history teaching at regional level.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states and assessing the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. As the voice of Europe’s municipalities and regions, it works to foster consultation and political dialogue between national governments and local and regional authorities, through cooperation with the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.
The Congress is made up of two chambers: the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. It has 306 representatives and 306 substitutes, all appointed for five years, representing over 130,000 local and regional authorities in the Council of Europe’s 46 member states. The Congress’s work is organised with three committees: a Monitoring Committee, a Governance Committee and a Social Inclusion Committee.
