2008-06-25
Cultural cooperation and identity shaping in the Baltic Area
Glancing on the eventful history of the Baltic Sea is sufficient to understand, why this region does not also deserve attention but is one of the most pulsating and dynamic regions in Europe with the greatest economic growth. The large cultural heritage became due to the vast majority of initiatives to one of the priorities and challenges for the cultural cooperation.
Countries with access to the Baltic Sea are generally considered being part of the Baltic region (1). Especially during the bloom of the Hanseatic time from the 12th until the middle of the 17th century as well until the end of the peaceful cooperation on this region at the begin of the 20th century, the area of the Baltic Sea was affected by a common history. This became evident through the fact that the cities were pretty similar. A bridging of East and West with an emphasis on the seaports with intensive trading. At the same time it happened to be and still is a region of cultural exchange and cooperation. For all countries of the area of the Baltic Sea the cultural cooperation with other states means a priority (2). There a plenty of organizations which are either partially or entirely devoted to the area of the Baltic Sea. One of them is the Council for Baltic Sea States (CBSS) (3), a major organization government-controlled, which focuses on common regional political level and intergovernmental cooperation. It also holds a conference of the cultural minister every two years. The next conference will take place this October in Riga.
The "Nordic Council" consists of its five members Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Norway. Even though the baltic states are not members, the Council has declared the cooperation with them and other states of the area of the Baltic Sea since 1991 to a priority. The Council is responsible for the advancement of democracy and economical cooperation. Although there is a commission for culture and education, culture is not exclusively part of the cooperation with the Baltic states. In the cultural sector the Nordic Council of minister focuses on the Nordic "culture fund", the Nordic Fund for Movies and Television as well as awards for literature and music. There is also an art and cultural program as well as a program to support mobility and residencies for artists.
As already mentioned before, the cities of the Baltic region are of great relevance, leading 1991 to the foundation of the Union of Baltic Cities (UBC), an organization, which is dedicated to culture as well. The union consists of 106 cities and is enhancing cultural cooperation of its members among each other and with cities of third world countries. The organization Ars Baltica represents all states of the Baltic region and promotes cultural projects of great relevance since 1989. The organization is bonded to the CBSS and is active in the area of cultural politics as well as in the artistic area. The director of Ars Baltica, Lidia Makowska, emphasized at the EFAH (4) conference in Warsaw in November of 2007 that it is the main task in the Baltic region and Poland would be to define a new role of the culture for the society. She also pointed out the lack of solidarity and explained, that for example it wouldnt be possible to create a Cable Factory (5) in Poland like the one in Helsinki since no visitors could be expected. According to her it is evident to include the local population and society on every possible planning to assure the success of a project.
The Baltic Development Forum (BDF) is probably the most important umbrella group for the cooperation of politics, economy and science in the Baltic region. The BDF is working on a new strategy for the Baltic region with the goal to create a necessary and clear image for this region on the world market through branding. Branding of the Baltic Area is realized with business cooperation, but also with innovation, science, sustain development and education. Simon Anholt, an expert in "nation branding" underlined, that the enhancement of a competitive identity of a city, a country or a region should not be accomplished through commercialization of this image but through trust in the strengths, which improve the reputation of a region. Now the question comes up how it is possible to improve the image of a region without assigning culture, cultural heritage, cultural cooperation a stronger influence in the definition of a role. After all the population must be able to identify itself with their region. Additionally, the economical success gets more intense through a strong creative industry a multi-sided cultural landscape. The Baltic states and Poland are in a natural process of a finding of identity after the opening to the West and the still ongoing process of the accession to the European Union in 2004. This process of the finding of the identity must be connected to a branding with the Baltic Sea region considering common history, cultural mutualities and differences as strengths and origins. It is crucial to take account of the fact that it is after 50 years very important to the Baltic states to develop an own identity.
With the accession to the EU the cultural cooperation with other states of the EU became also easier. There is still an enormous need to catch up in many of the new member states regarding the creation of many cultural organizations, required infrastructure and expertise. Only now there are for example planning to build a museum of modern art and the associated collection in Latvia. If it should be, according to Lidia Makowska, necessary to define a new role of culture for the society, if the process of finding of identity in Poland and the Baltic states is still not completed and we dont ascribe a stronger role to culture in general, a successful branding of the Baltic Sea region will be difficult.
Foot Notes:
1 These states are Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Iceland is also a member of the Council for Baltic Sea States.
2 More Informations about cultural policies and priority: www.culturalpolicies.net
3 members are the 11 members of the Baltic Sea (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, European Commission) and the European Commission.
4 The European Forum for the Arts and Heritage (EFAH) was renamed in Culture Action Europe on 24/4/2008.
5 The cable factory in Helsinki is a successful cultural centre: www.kaapelitehdas.fi
The "Nordic Council" consists of its five members Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Norway. Even though the baltic states are not members, the Council has declared the cooperation with them and other states of the area of the Baltic Sea since 1991 to a priority. The Council is responsible for the advancement of democracy and economical cooperation. Although there is a commission for culture and education, culture is not exclusively part of the cooperation with the Baltic states. In the cultural sector the Nordic Council of minister focuses on the Nordic "culture fund", the Nordic Fund for Movies and Television as well as awards for literature and music. There is also an art and cultural program as well as a program to support mobility and residencies for artists.
As already mentioned before, the cities of the Baltic region are of great relevance, leading 1991 to the foundation of the Union of Baltic Cities (UBC), an organization, which is dedicated to culture as well. The union consists of 106 cities and is enhancing cultural cooperation of its members among each other and with cities of third world countries. The organization Ars Baltica represents all states of the Baltic region and promotes cultural projects of great relevance since 1989. The organization is bonded to the CBSS and is active in the area of cultural politics as well as in the artistic area. The director of Ars Baltica, Lidia Makowska, emphasized at the EFAH (4) conference in Warsaw in November of 2007 that it is the main task in the Baltic region and Poland would be to define a new role of the culture for the society. She also pointed out the lack of solidarity and explained, that for example it wouldnt be possible to create a Cable Factory (5) in Poland like the one in Helsinki since no visitors could be expected. According to her it is evident to include the local population and society on every possible planning to assure the success of a project.
The Baltic Development Forum (BDF) is probably the most important umbrella group for the cooperation of politics, economy and science in the Baltic region. The BDF is working on a new strategy for the Baltic region with the goal to create a necessary and clear image for this region on the world market through branding. Branding of the Baltic Area is realized with business cooperation, but also with innovation, science, sustain development and education. Simon Anholt, an expert in "nation branding" underlined, that the enhancement of a competitive identity of a city, a country or a region should not be accomplished through commercialization of this image but through trust in the strengths, which improve the reputation of a region. Now the question comes up how it is possible to improve the image of a region without assigning culture, cultural heritage, cultural cooperation a stronger influence in the definition of a role. After all the population must be able to identify itself with their region. Additionally, the economical success gets more intense through a strong creative industry a multi-sided cultural landscape. The Baltic states and Poland are in a natural process of a finding of identity after the opening to the West and the still ongoing process of the accession to the European Union in 2004. This process of the finding of the identity must be connected to a branding with the Baltic Sea region considering common history, cultural mutualities and differences as strengths and origins. It is crucial to take account of the fact that it is after 50 years very important to the Baltic states to develop an own identity.
With the accession to the EU the cultural cooperation with other states of the EU became also easier. There is still an enormous need to catch up in many of the new member states regarding the creation of many cultural organizations, required infrastructure and expertise. Only now there are for example planning to build a museum of modern art and the associated collection in Latvia. If it should be, according to Lidia Makowska, necessary to define a new role of culture for the society, if the process of finding of identity in Poland and the Baltic states is still not completed and we dont ascribe a stronger role to culture in general, a successful branding of the Baltic Sea region will be difficult.
Foot Notes:
1 These states are Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Iceland is also a member of the Council for Baltic Sea States.
2 More Informations about cultural policies and priority: www.culturalpolicies.net
3 members are the 11 members of the Baltic Sea (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, European Commission) and the European Commission.
4 The European Forum for the Arts and Heritage (EFAH) was renamed in Culture Action Europe on 24/4/2008.
5 The cable factory in Helsinki is a successful cultural centre: www.kaapelitehdas.fi
An article by Ulla-Alexandra Mattl, correspondent, London
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