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Conference of European Ministers of Culture: the Davos Declaration
On the eve of the World Economic Forum, Alain Berset brings the European ministers of culture together in Davos, with UNESCO, ICCROM, UN-Habitat, the Council of Europe and the European Union. The theme: building culture, “Baukultur”. For Switzerland, the conference opens the European Year of Cultural Heritage.
In his opening speech, he quotes Churchill: “We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.” Baukultur, he says, goes far beyond architecture: it covers every human activity that changes the built environment, from heritage to contemporary creation. The Irish architects Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara (Grafton Architects) and the psychologist Colin Ellard open the debates; Klaus Schwab welcomes the ministers on behalf of the WEF.
On 22 January, the delegations adopt the Davos Declaration. It states that building is a cultural act, denounces urban sprawl and faceless agglomerations, and calls for a European policy of high-quality Baukultur. In his closing speech, Alain Berset links the two worlds that meet in Davos: “Without culture, ladies and gentlemen, there is no economy.”
Sunday 21 January 2018 — Davos
- Opening of the conference, contributions by Grafton Architects and Colin Ellard
- Ministers’ dialogue, moderated by Alain Berset
- Welcome address by Klaus Schwab
- Official dinner, toasts by Alain Berset and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel
Monday 22 January 2018 — Davos
- Sessions: the role of culture for society; a vision of high-quality Baukultur; a shared responsibility
- Adoption of the Davos Declaration and closing speech
Speeches on this site
- Ouverture de la Conférence des ministres européens de la culture sur la culture du bâti (French-language page)
- Toast au dîner officiel de la Conférence des ministres européens de la culture (French-language page)
- Clôture de la Conférence des ministres européens de la culture sur la culture du bâti (French-language page)
Sources