Human Rights and Cultural Policies in a Changing Europe:

The Right to Participate in Cultural Life

European Round Table Meeting, Helsinki (Finland), 30 April - 2 May 1993

Organised by CIRCLE and the International Movement of Rights and Humanity in co-operation with the Council of Europe.

The Round Table in 1993 brought together over 100 cultural policy-makers and researchers, human rights advocates, artists, as well as those suffering exclusion from full participation in cultural life to consider:

• The present situation in Europe with regard to the enjoyment of cultural life and the impact of recent changes on cultural policies.
• The legal protection of the right to participate in cultural life and other cultural rights in existing international instruments.
• The policies and strategies which governments should adopt to ensure freedom of expression and enjoyment of the right to participate in cultural life by everyone, particularly for members of minority and disadvantaged groups.
• How to ensure respect for human right in cultural policies.
• How best to protect the rights and freedoms of the artist.
• Strategies for research and the development of good practice guidelines

The Round Table was a unique occasion to bring cultural researchers and policy-makers, human rights experts, artists, representatives of minorities and arts councils from different countries together.

A final report from this round table was published in the form of a book, for more information click here.