EU parliamentarian on Culture

Our Easter guest is Karin Riis-Jørgensen, Denmark

Karin Riis-Jørgensen, MEP

Karin Riis-Jørgensen was born in 1952 on the island Fyn in Denmark. She has a degree in law from the University of Copenhagen, and has been a member of the European Parliament since 1994. She is Vice-chairwoman of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), and a member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Karin Riis-Jørgensen is married and has two sons.

Please describe your cultural background.
I come from a rural background and spent my childhood on a farm in a small village near Kerteminde. There was an enlightened atmosphere in our home and our local society. My parents were actively involved in the local Free School based on Grundtvig-Kold's ideas and in our Lutheran church where I was christened, confirmed and wed. They represented an open-minded approach to society, yet they were also aware of their roots. We were brought up to be responsible individuals, both in our immediate environment and in society in a broader sense. We would for instance sometimes have children stay with us, who needed a bit of extra care from South Slesvig in Germany. That's my background. In Denmark we call this kind of upbringing "freedom with responsibility", that is characterized by a large degree of freedom, but of course subject to the consequences of the law.

How do you understand culture in a European context?
That is a difficult question to answer precisely, but also an important issue. Culture is both movies and art, but also ethics. I don't want Europe to be unified with regards to culture. I believe EU is an "assembly of differences". There are incredible differences in the European regions with regards to culture.

In my opinion EU's only function with regards to culture is to be a fertilizer. Sometimes we can nudge and nurture a cultural project through funding, but only as a supplement to national endeavours. Culture is an area where EU must tread cautiously and be level-headed. In the forefront should be the opinions of European citizens and the initiative should come from them, not from EU. So if EU must play a role, then it is one of nurturing diversity, rather than unification and standardisation.

Could you exemplify cultural aspects where EU should not interfere?
Yes. An example could be Spanish bullfights, which in my opinion is a national affair. EU should not act in an imperialistic manner by forbidding animals in circuses, cattle shows or bullfights. Some have a romantic notion and regard animals as pets. Coming from a farm, I am fully aware of the fact that animals are a means to obtain leather, food and a source of income. If EU interferes with Spain's traditional bullfights, then EU is indirectly saying that the Spanish are inferior people since they permit a cultural event such as bullfights. The bottom line is that EU should not act as a superior or imperialistic force with regards to culture.

Do you have a personal cultural agenda as a member of the European Parliament?
Yes, it is only on the drawing board. I am trying to promote a Protestant lobby in Brussels as a counterweight to the Catholic and Orthodox influence. As I said before I am brought up with a positive Christian approach to my fellow men and believe that we all have the power to act and we can seek forgiveness with our God.

With regards to Christianity and EU, I find that it is important to distinguish between Europe's historical basis and Europe's values. There is no doubt that Christianity has marked Europe historically, but I do agree with the dismissal of Christianity as a EU-value at the Berlin summit. However, Christian values play a role in issues dealing with energy, environment, family policies, ethics and so on, but they do so for individual persons, not for the European Parliament as such.

Which kinds of culture are you privately involved in?
I am proud of my Scandinavian roots and in my home we have modern Scandinavian furniture and art by contemporary artists such as Peter Brandes and Maja Lisa Engelhardt. With my schedule and living in Brussels, Copenhagen and London, a trip to the movies can be planned on the spur of the moment. I particularly like European movies, because I as a European am reflected in them, in contrast to for instance American movies. One of my current favourites is the German movie, "Das Leben der Anderen" (The Lives of Others) set in East Germany not long before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Related information
Karin Riis-Jørgensen is the second MEP that answers questions regarding culture; our first guest was Ignasi Guardans from Catalonia (Spain).