- Eamon Colman gives his view on the conference

"Conferences like these are necessary to make a cultural debate, but the report that ends up at the ministers desk will most probably never be read." This harsh statement comes from Eamon Colman, painter from Dublin and president of the European Council of Artists. "We, the artists, must be more solution-orientated to really make a change," says Colman. "For a fruitful outcome of a conference like this, more plans of action should be carried out.

"One of the main problems about these conferences is that the participants meet and discuss their views and ideas, leave for their home country and then forget all about it. If one somehow could make sure that the same delegates met on a regular basis to discuss the suggestions presented, the participants might be able to carry out their obligation to change the public opinion," Colman suggests.