We would like to share with you the following information about the launch of the report “Culture and Health: Time to Act” today at MONDIACULT 2025, UNESCO’s World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development. The report results from the work of a group of EU Member States’ experts working under the Open Method of Coordination, in the framework of the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026.
When: today 29 September from 14:45-15:45 at the Mondiacult side event Elevating culture, enhancing well-being – Culture and Creativity hosted by European Commissioner Glenn Micallef
Where: onsite in Barcelona and web streamed on
Speakers include:
- Glenn Micallef ‐ European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport
- Ernest Urtasun ‐ Minister of Culture, Spain
- Dr Gundo Weiler ‐ Director for Prevention and Health Promotion, World Health Organization (WHO)/ Europe
- Kortnija Mara Gurtlava ‐ Youth delegate and cultural professional (Latvia)
- Dr Lodovico Folin- Calabi ‐ Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels and Representative to the EU
The full report Culture and health – Publications Office of the EU and the executive summary in EN, ES, DE and FR are available as of this morning on the website of the Publications Office of the European Union (all other EU languages to follow soon). The report contains ambitious recommendations for EU, national, regional and local policy-makers and a wide array of good practices funded by the MS and by Creative Europe and Horizon Europe.
The European Union (EU) Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026 starts by acknowledging that ‘culture is an infinite source of inspiration and innovation, a reflection of humanity and aesthetics, our shared language and heritage, and a fundamental part of our identities and communities’. Mandated by the Work Plan, the Open Method for Coordination Group for Culture and Health began its work in February 2024. Its remit was to recommend how the EU should respond to the international evidence that participation in cultural and creative activities and culture-based interventions supports better health outcomes and improved well-being. There is a growing body of research showing that participation (both receptive and active) in activities such as the visual arts, music, singing, dancing, writing, drama, heritage, craftwork, etc. across the life course is a positive health behaviour. Culture and health activities have been demonstrated to be beneficial for health promotion, disease prevention, management and treatment of health conditions (including physical and mental health), and social inclusion and cohesion. We remain mindful that, while culture is instrumental, it must never be instrumentalised. Therefore, the task of this OMC has been to recommend strategic actions that can unlock the potential of culture and health across the EU. As the Group was preparing this report, it has become clear just how timely its work is and the huge opportunity there is in acting now. Against a rapidly evolving policy landscape, the intersectoral field of culture and health is poised to make a transformative contribution to key EU policy priorities.