EU National Institutes for Culture - EUNIC


EUNIC’s three objectives illustrated: to strengthen cultural relations worldwide together with partners; to advocate for culture in international relations as a strategic partner of the EU; to enhance its capacity as a network. Illustration: Josephine Chime

New EUNIC Strategic Framework 2020-2024

EUNIC members approved the network’s new Strategic Framework for 2020-2024.

EUNIC’s three objectives illustrated: to strengthen cultural relations worldwide together with partners; to advocate for culture in international relations as a strategic partner of the EU; to enhance its capacity as a network. Illustration: Josephine Chime

Through culture, we strive to build trust and understanding between the people of Europe and the wider world. We work to make culture count in international relations.

For the first time, EUNIC recounts in its strategy the values of cultural relations the network bases its work on – bottom-up approach, co-creation, joint capacity building, mutual listening and learning – as well as a wider understanding of culture.

The phrase that has encapsulated EUNIC’s work for the past years has officially become the network's vision: Through culture, we strive to build trust and understanding between the people of Europe and the wider world. We work to make culture count in international relations.

The network’s first strategic framework was adopted in 2015. In the five years since, understanding and practice of cultural relations evolved quickly, both on EU and on Member State level. Moreover, EUNIC's partnership with the EU became established with among others the signing of the Administrative Arrangement between EUNIC and the EU in 2017 and the granting of the Preparatory Action European 'Houses' of Culture in 2018.

EUNIC’s three objectives

  • to strengthen cultural relations worldwide together with partners;
  • to advocate for culture in international relations as a strategic partner of the EU; and
  • to enhance its capacity as a network.

These objectives have been finetuned to reflect the current partnership with the EU and to acknowledge a number of key policy documents, such as the EU’s strategic approach to international cultural relations.

The 120 EUNIC clusters worldwide are now invited to streamline their future four-year strategies with the new overall EUNIC Strategic Framework.

Read the EUNIC Strategic Framework 2020-2024.



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