Strategies

1. Maintaining and developing efficient networks between Austrian cultural institutions abroad.

2. Implementing and supporting cultural and scientific projects by presenting Austria to the public as an innovative and creative nation.

3. Implementing and supporting projects to promote the inter-religious and inter-cultural dialog between different cultures at home and abroad in order to position Austria as a key player in this area and secure trust and peace on an international level.

4. Incorporating and implementing Austrian cultural interests in(to) the decision-making processes of the EU and those of international organizations (especially the UNESCO) and promoting cultural initiatives of the EU and those of international organizations (especially of the UNESCO) in Austria.

Regarding Strategy 1 (“Maintaining and developing efficient networks between Austrian cultural institutions abroad”): Austria enjoys a comprehensive network of cultural institutions abroad (see annex 1), which must be reviewed constantly and adapted to new conditions. Individual institutions require sufficient human as well as financial resources to be able to reach the goals defined by Austrian foreign cultural policy.

Regarding Strategy 2 (“Implementing and supporting cultural and scientific projects by presenting Austria to the public as an innovative and creative nation”):Internationally, Austrian foreign cultural policy initiatives mainly focus on implementing and supporting cultural and scientific projects based on strategic and content-related guidelines by the Federal Ministry of European and International affairs. In this context, the Ministry also supports activities that aim at internationalizing the Austrian landscape of science and research. The quantitative ratio between self-administered events and events sponsored by third parties depends on local conditions. We always try to cooperate with partners on site. In order to help select Austrian artists that will receive sponsored exhibitions abroad, we have set up a system that ensures the highest possible level of objectivity and transparency.

Regarding Strategy 3 (“Implementing and supporting projects to promote the inter-religious and inter-cultural dialog between different cultures at home and abroad in order to position Austria as a key player in this area and secure trust and peace on an international level“): The main points of this dialog are the promotion of basic human freedoms and rights worldwide, the integration of cultural, religious, and ethnic minorities into our modern democracies, the promotion of women’s independence and freedom in religious environments, the fight against prejudices and misunderstandings, the promotion of the inter-religious dialog as an essential part of potential problem-solving and reconciliation strategies, and the promotion of cross-border cooperation between young leaders from all areas of society.

Regarding Strategy 4 (“Incorporating and implementing Austrian cultural interests in(to) the decision-making processes of the EU and those of international organizations (especially the UNESCO) and promoting cultural initiatives of the EU and of international organizations (especially of the UNESCO) in Austria.“): Representing Austria on the level of the EU cultural committees is done in close cooperation between the Ministry of European and International Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture. The Ministry of European and International Affairs is also strongly committed to promoting the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC). Austria is an active member of the UNESCO and is aiming at being voted into the Executive Council of the UNESCO for the 2011-2015 period.