Culture, Nature and Heritage Department

• We support access to culture for all, in its many, diverse forms, as fundamental to democratic, tolerant and inclusive societies.
• Our conventions promote the sustainable and democratic management of Europe’s cultural and natural heritage, protecting Europe’s biodiversity for future generations.
• We promote cultural policies that tackle the challenges posed by the digitisation of culture.

 More about Culture and Heritage, Landscape, Major risks, Environment and Cultural Routes activities

Youth department

• We empower young people to access their human rights – facilitating their autonomy and participation – and help our member states develop the requisite youth policies.
• We support young people who are active in civil society and work with them on how to combat discrimination and exclusion.
• Each year our European Youth Centres in Strasbourg and Budapest host over 10,000 participants in a variety of activities and the European Youth Foundation disburses over €4m to youth organisations.

More about the Youth Department activities

Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists

• The platform aims to improve the protection of journalists, better address threats and violence against media professionals and foster early warning mechanisms and response capacity within the Council of Europe.
• The platform enables the Council of Europe to be alerted on time, in a more systematic way and to take timely and coordinated action when necessary. It helps the Organisation identify trends and propose adequate policy responses in the field of media freedom.

 More about the Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists 

Education Department

• Our citizenship and human rights education tools and programmes help individuals acquire the attitudes, skills, values, critical understanding and knowledge required to participate in democratic society, both on and off-line.
• We promote inclusive, quality education for all.
• We facilitate the integration of refugees and migrants, including with tools to recognise their qualifications and to teach them the language of their host country.
• We work to combat cross-border and institutional fraud and corruption in education, particularly in higher education.
• We support whole-school approaches to building democracy through education, providing materials for educators, parents and students.

 More about the Education Department activities

Partial Agreements

• European Centre for Modern Languages (Graz, Austria)
  The ECML promotes reform and best practice in the teaching and learning of languages, including through teacher training and the publication of materials for educators.
• Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card
  Over four million young people have a European Youth Card, which contributes to their social, cultural, educational and economic mobility. The card gives advantages/discounts on transport, accommodation, language courses and cultural activities.
• Cultural Routes (Luxembourg)
  More than 30 Cultural Routes cross the whole of Europe, promoting mutual understanding and an appreciation of European history, identity and diversity.
• Eurimages
  Eurimages promotes European co-operation and diversity by supporting quality films produced by professionals from different European countries. More than 60 co-productions have won prestigious awards.
• EUR-OPA
  EUR-OPA assists public authorities in disaster prevention and management and in post-disaster rehabilitation, by identifying good practice, raising awareness and developing new tools, supported by 26 national, specialised centres.
• Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE)
  The OHTE provides an opportunity to share good practices and experiences between the member States of the enlarged partial agreement and reinforce co-operation in the field of history education at the European level.