Malta’s European election campaign has highlighted an inability to address pertinent cultural issues. What kind of society are we advocating for? Inclusive and engaged societies emerge from cultured and democratic communities that are informed by an education that fosters critical thinking.

Are our education systems robust enough to prepare us and our children for an uncertain future? We are far from this ideal. It is imperative that we recognise the vital role of cultural participation in fostering a healthy democracy. Only through a committed and informed cultural dialogue can we hope to build a society that values and upholds the principles of democracy and freedom.

Today, we will vote to shape the future of Europe. This vote is for our children, for future generations. After the monumental struggle for democracy following two world wars and the relatively recent breaking down of the Berlin Wall, we seem to have forgotten our own promises to value our fragile democracies.

We are building new walls now – walls of fear and self-censorship – instead of advocating for our freedoms, our rights and our values. These freedoms are often taken for granted and they are fundamentally cultural matters.

We need to shift our focus to the threat that our democracies are facing by understanding the threats to Europe and the meaning of Europe and Europeanness. The wars on the borders of Europe need to be a stark warning to our European selves. We need to come together to protect and secure our democratic status.

The wars on the peripheries of Europe have influenced party manifestos at a European level, shifting their priorities toward security and defence. It is notable that these policy discussions at the European party level are not adequately filtering down to the local level in our country. Our local concerns lie elsewhere.

Indeed, the local campaign for the European Parliament has been marred by partisanship. Local political issues have become our sole issues of concern. We have built a wall around us that is not allowing us to consider European concerns. This limits any objective to embrace European values and broaden our cultural and democratic scope as communities and individuals within them.

Perhaps we need to refer to Margaritis Schinas, the European Commission’s vice-president for Promoting our European Way of Life in his foreword to Culture and Democracy: How citizens’ participation in cultural activities enhances civic engagement, democracy and social cohesion: lessons from international research, where he states: “Democracy – and the values which underpin it – are the very foundation of our Union.

“They are enshrined in our Treaty, and they allow us to live in a society which ‘favours the many, instead of the few’, to use Pericles’ words about ancient Athens. Since its conception, democracy is regularly being challenged. It is essential that we continuously nurture our freedoms, our rights, and our values. And an easy, and enjoyable way to do so is to enjoy culture: because cultural activities form the heart and the mind (...)”

The report goes on to examine the tangible connection between democracy and culture. It illustrates how individuals who engage in cultural activities are significantly more likely to participate in civic and democratic life. Nonetheless, disparities in cultural participation persist across the EU, which, in turn, impacts democratic engagement.

This underscores the importance of ensuring that cultural activities are both inclusive and accessible. Moreover, the benefits of investing in cultural participation extend to various societal goals, including health, education and social inclusion.

We need to understand the threats to Europe and the meaning of Europe and Europeanness- Davinia Galea

The European Commission’s commitment to addressing these issues is reflected in this report, which forms part of our broader efforts to reinforce democracy, foster an inclusive and engaged society and ensure the sustainability of the cultural sector. The Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026 places a particular emphasis on the intersection of culture and democracy, aiming to unite policymakers and stakeholders in advancing the concept of cultural citizenship within the EU.

As Freedom House aptly notes: “A growing disregard for the conditions that form the foundations of democracy – including respect for the rights of minorities and migrants, space for critical dissent and commitment to the rule of law – threatens to destabilise the democratic order. These and many other issues pose a threat to democracy around the world.”

Democracy is fragile and, once lost, it is not easily regained. While Europe currently enjoys freedom of expression and a free vote, this may not remain to be the case. It is only through dedicated and informed cultural dialogue that we can aspire to cultivate a society that cherishes and sustains democratic principles and freedoms.

For these reasons, we demand that Malta be represented in each and every legislature in the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee (CULT). Raising awareness and advocating for Maltese representation in the CULT committee is crucial.

At the level of policy advocacy, the ‘Cultural Deal for Europe’ campaign echoes our demands: “We have created a union of states and institutions. We still need to craft a union of values and people.”

We demand greater awareness and action from future MEPs and citizens to address the futures we are creating for ourselves. The preservation and promotion of cultural values are not merely optional; they are essential to the health and longevity of our democratic institutions.

Davinia Galea is managing director of ARC Research & Consultancy, which advocates for the development and sustainability of the cultural and creative sectors in Malta and at European level and continuously aims to facilitate connections with local, regional, national and international entities.