President of the Romanian Cultural Institute becomes head of network of national cultural institutes from EU member states

The president of the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR), Liviu Jicman, took on the role of President of EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture during the General Assembly held in Bucharest on June 19-20, 2024.

EUNIC is the network of national cultural institutes from EU member states, as well as the UK and Ukraine, and currently includes 39 national cultural organizations from all EU member states and associated countries. The network is active in 140 clusters globally.

"I am honored by the trust my colleagues in the EUNIC network have placed in me through their vote. I begin my mission in this position, which I will hold for a year, with the conviction that EUNIC's vision, values, and collaborative actions are part of the solution to having a strong cultural sector. The vocation for intercultural dialogue, combined with the common voice of EUNIC members, offers the opportunity to prioritize the financing of culture, the role of cultural diplomacy in international relations, and support for the Republic of Moldova in its European journey," stated Liviu Jicman, cited in the ICR press release.

The new executive leadership of the network of national cultural institutes of the European Union (EUNIC Board) comprises president Liviu Jicman, vice-president Kirsten van den Hul (Director of DutchCulture), Hanna Lämsä (Executive Director of Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes), Mary Ann Cauchi (Director of Funds and Strategies at Arts Council Malta), Carmen Noguero Galilea (Instituto Cervantes), and Johannes Ebert (Goethe-Institut).

The General Assembly gathered at the headquarters of the National Bank of Romania and The Ark, bringing together the leadership of EUNIC member organizations from 27 EU member states, as well as representatives from the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute. The special guest of the General Assembly was the minister of culture of the Republic of Moldova, Sergiu Prodan.

During the event, Volodymyr Sheiko, director general of the Ukrainian Institute, emphasized the urgent need to expand mobility programs for Ukrainian artists.

During the two-day meetings, which included presentations, group consultations, debate panels, and plenary sessions, network members contributed to the development of the common vision for the EUNIC Strategic Framework for 2025-2029 and the major themes selected for the events the network will organize in the coming period. They also discussed mechanisms for supporting the activities of EUNIC clusters worldwide, as well as developing collaboration with local partners in the over 100 countries where the EUNIC network is active.