OTM was represented by its President, Martina Marti, at the conference promoted by the Hungarian EU Presidency to discuss the role of culture in the success of the Europe 2020 Strategy, that took place in Budapest, 28 February - 1 March. Martina reports and questions “On What Kind Of Move?” does Europe need to grow in a sustainable way.
According to the European Commission website, the conference highlighted the economic impact of the cultural and creative industries and the link between culture, creativity and innovation. The culture’s spillover effect on other economic sectors and its role as a motor for social inclusion was also discussed.
On the Move was asked to take cultural mobility to the discussion pannel on sustainable growth and the role of culture in sustainable development, notably building on OTM´s research work on virtual and green mobility.
In addition, Martina questioned the concepts of growth and competitiveness and argued for a change of attitude to ensure this desired sustainability:
“What Europe needs is something that teaches us to see the world through the eyes of another person, something that promotes an understanding of the world that is not based on how competitive we are in the global market. This “something” is culture.”
Find the summary of OTM´s contribution to this conference.
Beyond this pannel, Martina also shares with us her thoughts and experiences while in Budapest. She starts up by wondering about the concept of culture and its association with buzz words such as sustainability and growth to conclude by claiming a new and important role for the arts in this agenda.
Follow her in Budapest while indulging in between real and virtual reality!
Read: a very personal report about real and virtual presence
