The Berlin Conferences A Soul for Europe have been held in November 2004, 2006 and 2008 under the auspices of the A Soul for Europe initiative with several partners from across Europe, including the Felix Meritis Foundation.
The potential of culture as an indispensable force in the process of European integration is progressively recognised.  This gives added impetus to the purpose of reshaping Europe in a way that engages not only the political and economic but also the creative aspirations of its citizens.

European culture boosting Society, Politics and Economy

The third Berlin Conference of the civil society initiative "A Soul for Europe" brought together high-ranking European politicians and business people with representatives of the world of culture. As it was the case during the previous conferences in 2004 and 2006, the participants debate the idea of giving Europe's social, economic and political development a cultural core.

Culture at the heart of European policies - the example of economy

If this objective is to be achieved, people in Europe must not remain passive observers but increasingly become active players in the European project. In addition to the role played by culture itself, many sectors of politics and society need to devise a cultural component of their own. In advocating this approach, the initiative "A Soul for Europe" and the Berlin Conference are responding inter alia to the "European Agenda for Culture" adopted by the EU institutions in 2007. This has ushered in a paradigm shift by moving culture to the heart of all areas of politics.
The conference addresses the requirements and practical consequences of such a strategy by taking the European economy in its globalised context as an example.  Discussants included Roland Berger (Roland Berger Strategy Consultants), Louis Schweitzer (Renault) and Gunter Thielen (Bertelsmann Foundation).

New forms of cooperation between civil society and politicians

The focus of the second day of the conference was on new forms of cooperation between civil society, institutions, parliaments and governments in Europe as well as on methods of achieving the targets set. The initiative "A Soul for Europe" will undergo internal restructuring as of 2009 to facilitate its contribution to the implementation strategy.

Rejuvenation

The initiative and the Berlin Conference attach paramount importance to a process of rejuvenation. From 2009 onwards "A Soul for Europe" will be run by an international network of about forty young decision-makers from a variety of professions. One of their tasks will be to further address the implications of the conference.

Among many the European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering, European Commissioners Jan Figel' and Meglena Kuneva and The Netherlands Minister for European Affairs,  Mr. Frans Timmermans have given their contributions to the conference.

• External Website of the "Berlin Conference"