Princess Laurentien Speaks at Cultural Forum for Europe

On September 26th, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands addressed the first Cultural Forum for Europe organised by the EU presidency of Portugal. She is the wife of Prince Constantijn and daughter-in-law of Queen Beatrix.

Some of her remarks are below.

"Excellency, Ladies and gentlemen, friends of culture,"

"Recently I was struck by a commercial advertisement entitled ‘open to change’ in a special edition of a leading US political magazine. Against a visually highly creative background, it reads: “healthy cultures nurture creativity. They help breathe life into the people who live within them. And also: “healthy culture welcomes dissent: it listens for the sound of new voices and supports original imaginations. And then – this is my favourite: “healthy cultures are full of artists. When hope dies, so does creativity. When culture is lost, so is the future.”

"We no doubt all agree that open cultural expressions are a precondition for free societies and, equally, that cultural expressions per se provide meaning to our existence. Artists are essential to our future. They are as diverse as the creativity that they express. They are bearers of provocation, beauty and inspiration. They are change agents and provide deeper insights and even comfort. Less than 20 years ago it was a dream that the cold war would end and Europe would be reunited. Artists imagined that dream in their works – and many engaged in making it come true. Less than 10 years ago, an alarming new divide emerged between cultures and religions, globally and in our communities. Many artists play an important role in making us understand and overcome this divide."

"Fifty years ago, reconciliation of Europe’s nations was not taken for granted. It was then that a group of visionary individuals founded the European Cultural Foundation to promote cultural cooperation across all borders and boundaries. I am delighted to be here as President of the ECF. As an independent foundation, we advocate a new alliance between civil society, national and European authorities as well as the private sector to acknowledge the importance of culture and the arts for the social fabric of our continent."

"In a globalising world, Europe has become a complex interplay between diverse people and peoples. For the sake of our children, we need to invest in the future common good, and in our joint capacities to tackle the unexpected. It is our responsibility to make Europe not only more efficient, but also more inclusive. We need to educate the next generations on the challenges ahead in terms of knowledge and employability, but also on being cultured and responsible citizens. It is up to us to safeguard and develop the specificity of Europe, its tremendously rich cultures, impregnated by our history of failures and progress."

"I applaud the Portuguese EU Presidency to organise this first ever Cultural Forum. It provides us with an excellent and much needed opportunity to sit around the table for a structured and focused dialogue. Much needed, because “the cultural sector” – if there is such a thing - is unique in its individualism and fragmentation, as we all know. This inherent fragmentation is a blessing in that it demonstrates the rich diversity of cultural expressions across Europe. But our fragmentation is also a curse. We need to face the challenges of a world where knowledge, communication, people, products and creativity know fewer and fewer boundaries. We need to grab the economic and other opportunities a borderless market such as Europe provides. Let us face these challenges and opportunities, by joining forces, by listening and by making our voices heard."

Princess Laurentien's entire Cultural Forum for Europe speech can be read here.