Mapping cultural projects, initiatives and partnerships in external relations of the EU, Member States, local authorities, institutions and CSOs at the European and national levels

The own-initiative opinion on the role of cultural diplomacy highlights the significance of the cultural dimension in the current geopolitical context and gives concrete recommendations on realising its full potential. One of the recommendations calls for an establishment of a mapping exercise, covering the wide range of actions and initiatives already in place led by the European institutions and organisations, individual States, and the many civil society organisations in the Member States, as well as those established by the various international partnerships, with a view to creating an EU platform for international cultural relations. This study is therefore a first step towards a hopefully more coherent EU action on cultural diplomacy, as a key vector of the EU external policy, and should contribute to the preparation of a clear action plan for culture in EU external relations.