Slovenia as the incumbent EU presidency inaugurated the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue with a grand ceremony on Tuesday, with officials stressing how auspicious it is to launch the project in a country that stands at the crossroads of so many different cultures and religions.
"In Slovenia the Slavic world is in contact with the Romance and Germanic areas, while Central Europe meets Western Balkans and the Mediterranean. It is in this that we see our opportunity to contribute to the strengthening of intercultural dialogue in Europe and beyond," Slovenian Prime Janez Jansa said.
He said despite historical burdens, the Mediterranean is the area of "the most intense dialogue between Christian, Muslim and Jewish worlds." This is also the basis of Slovenia's ideas for the formation of a Euromediterranean University, which could come to fruition this year.
Jansa said in order to succeed, the European project of unification needs more than just a single market and impressive economic growth, it has to strengthen the cultural and spiritual dimension of Europe.
"The time has come for an in-depth debate on the meaning of culture. This debate needs to be carried out by people in Europe as well as those we cooperate with around the world," he said.
Slovenia's valuable experience of intercultural dialogue in the Adriatic setting will be an "undoubtable boon in ensuring the success of the year of intercultural dialogue," said European Education and Culture Commissioner Jan Figel.
Highlighting the importance of intercultural dialogue, Figel said Europe must build societies that are cohesive and integrate migrants successfully.
According to Figel, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue must "open channels for communicating and understanding our neighbors so that our more fluid societies rest on stable, sustainable foundations."
Outlining the broader significance of the event, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering said the Year of Intercultural Dialogue signaled Europe's increasing willingness to include cultural issues in EU policy.
"The EU wants to be a global role model in furthering dialogue between cultures," he said.
Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk said Europe must have a proactive role in intercultural dialogue.
"It has to dispel the impression that it is closing, becoming a fortress which only a selected few may enter ... Opening up is a two-way process demanding appropriate access to Europe and Europe's different access to others," said Tuerk.
The ceremony was the final act of the launch of the European Year of Intercultural Year, which started on Monday with a conference dubbed "Intercultural Dialogue as a Fundamental Value of the EU."
Source:Xinhua
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