Cultural figures in Malta have expressed their approval of Glenn Micallef’s appointment to the Commission of Ursula von der Leyen, where he will oversee arts, youth, sport, and intergenerational fairness. At 35, Micallef is one of the youngest Commissioners and the final appointee to Von der Leyen’s team, with a portfolio that falls under the broader category of ‘education’.
In the previous commission, youth and sport fell under a larger portfolio held by Iliana Ivanova of Bulgaria, which also included innovation, research, culture, and education. The responsibility of education has been assigned to vice-president Roxana Mînzatu of Romania, while research and innovation went to Ekaterina Zaharieva of Bulgaria.
Notably, Toni Attard, an actor and consultant in the creative field, emphasized the significance of culture at the EU level, especially in light of rising radicalism, misinformation, climate change, and war. The head of strategy at Arts Councils, Adrian Debattista, also highlighted the positive implications of Micallef’s appointment, signaling potential advancements for culture within the EU’s social agenda.
Furthermore, creative practitioner Kris Polidano urged Micallef to help shift the mindset that places profit above value, advocating for a Europe that is sustainable across all aspects. Additionally, Kevin Azzopardi, the secretary-general of Malta’s Olympic Committee, expressed honor in having a Maltese national leading the European sporting agenda, echoing similar sentiments from Malta Film Commission head Johann Grech regarding the audiovisual sector.
Despite the progress made by the Labour administration in Malta, it is important to note that individual EU member states are responsible for their own cultural policies, with the European Commission focusing on addressing common challenges such as the impact of digital technologies and evolving models of cultural governance.
In terms of the EU’s cultural policy-making, the New European Agenda for Culture and the current Work Plan for Culture outline priorities including empowering cultural and creative sectors, enhancing cultural participation, utilizing culture for societal wellbeing, and strengthening the EU’s cultural dimension in external relations.
