Fifteen European Ministers of Culture and more than 500 artists and cultural movers and shakers came together for the “Meeting for a Cultural Europe" on 2nd and 3rd May at the Comédie-Française in Paris. The event was an the initiative of French Minister for Culture, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres. This conference is part of a series, following on from the conference "A soul for Europe" recently held in Berlin, and will itself be followed by similar conferences taking place in Budapest and other European cities. In speeches given at the event, French President Jacques Chirac, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, currently President of the European Council, and the President of the European Commission, Manual Barroso, expressed an unprecedented commitment in favour of culture and the arts on a European scale. They also indicated they would see funds made available to realise their cultural ambitions. 'I would like the European cultural budget to step out of its mediocrity,' said Juncker. Barroso added: 'the current budget of 35 million a year is not in line with the ambitions which the EU should be displaying'. For more information (in French), CLICK HERE.