European Year of Cultural Heritage: History, Purpose and Strategic Objectives

Abstract

Cultural heritage is a strategic resource based on the democratic, ethical, aesthetic and ecological values of society. The European Year of Cultural Heritage emphasized the cultural heritage issues at the level of European structures, as well as at the national and regional levels. An important task of the strategic approach was the development of long-term models of cultural heritage policy and strengthening its role in sustainable development, analysis of its economic and social impact, as well as the role of scientific research on cultural heritage. The European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Framework Program from 2014 to 2020 provides for an investment of 500 million euros in cultural heritage.The aim of the article is to analyze the formation and implementation in 2018 of the European Year of Cultural Heritage as a strategic tool for sustainable development to preserve the cultural heritage of Europe and the formation of European identity in times of large migration waves. The article analyzed the goals and strategic objectives of the Year, considered the initiatives of European governmental and non-governmental organizations on this issue. It is noted that in practice it was the Year of the cultural heritage of the European Union rather than the Year of cultural heritage of the whole Europe.The theoretical and methodological basis of the article are the documents of European institutions on this issue, as well as researches on cultural heritage within the framework of the preparation and implementation of the EYCH, followed by long-term strategy.