“Culture strengthens democracy and social cohesion.”

Following up ‘Culture: The Compass for Europe’s Future’, the 2025 Annual Policy Conversation as part of the Cultural Deal campaign, which took place in February 2025, we interviewed the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef. 

The interview was originally published in our 2025 annual magazine, Common Ground.

Commissioner Micallef, can you tell us about your upbringing in Malta? Did you have the privilege of being surrounded by arts and culture in your younger years?

Glenn Micallef: I spent my childhood years in the small town of Kalkara, nestled within the historically and culturally rich Harbour Region of Malta. Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by heritage, with bastioned forts just a short walk away and the breathtaking views of the iconic Grand Harbour ever-present. More-over, I grew up around a vibrant and close-knit community that embodied the essenceof local culture. In the village square, young people had the opportunity of joining one of the two local band clubs and learning to playa musical instrument – a cherished initiative that continues to this day. The band clubs also promoted a spirit of volunteering and community engagement, with residents coming together to organise activities tied to popular traditions and religious celebrations, such as Christmas, Easter, and the annual village feast.

Everywhere you looked, the place was bustling with tradition, activity, and culture, whether it was the traditional practice of bread-making passed down through generations at the local bakery, or the enthusiastic participation of the local boat club in the historic rowing event of the ‘Regatta’.

After your graduation from the University of Malta with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and economics and a Masters degree in European law you started a career as civil servant. You headed the Brexit Unit Maltas’s Ministy of Foreign Affairs, and became EU Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister and his Head of Secretariat. During these years, which included the Corona-years, what books, films, TV series or other cultural products helped you in balancing your work-private life?

Glenn Micallef: Cultural products really do help me to find a balance and switch off from time to time. And especially in difficult times, it’s great to be able to immerse yourself in another world for a while. I particularly enjoy reading biographies. And when it comes to TV shows and films, there are many I could mention, but the movie Gladiator, which was shot in Malta by the way, stands out.

Until September 2024 you were the Vice-President of the Maltese football club Zabbar St. Patrick FC. What elements of the sense of belonging supporters feel for a club are replicable to our foundation’s mission of promoting a European sentiment?

Glenn Micallef: In my capacity as Vice-President of a European football club but also as a former player, I experienced first-hand what a power-ful tool sport is in creating a sense of belonging among supporters, achieved through shared values and identity building.

Sports fans have strong connections to their clubs, often passing through generations. Despite the results on the pitch, people still proudly support their team. This sense of pride transcends from the club to the individual.

By participating in decision making, supporters experience a real feeling of ownership. The club becomes a symbol of community and shared values, the same elements that are essential in promoting a European sense of identity.

Just as a football club strengthens identity, the European Cultural Foundation believes in culture as a means to connect people, to see themselves as a part of something bigger. The way fans unite behind their club, despite personal differences, is a powerful example of the strength of community building and replicates on a small scale what the ECF is trying to achieve for Europe through culture.

Prior to the European Parliament hearings you included in your written answers to MEPs that you “consider this portfolio a strategic investment in the EU’s future, democracy, and well-being, delivering tangible benefits to citizens and empowering them to achieve their full potential.” Could you share with us some examples of those tangible benefits?

Glenn Micallef: The Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes have a history of offering life-changing opportunities to young people in Europe. Through engaging in small-scale activities, both programmes help young people to make their voices heard, develop skills, and help them become more active and engaged citizens. This, in turn, contributes to strengthening European identity and democratic values. At the same time, we have a strong policy framework that supports our work with young people. The EU Youth Strategy aims to ensure that young people are considered in all policy areas.

Culture strenghtens democracy and social cohesion. Evidence suggests that citizens who participate regularly in cultural activities are much more likely to vote, volunteer and participate in community activities. They also develop social attitudes that are crucial for civic and democratic life, such as feelings of community belonging, tolerance, solidarity, trust, and empathy.

Other studies show that participation in cultural activities and contact with cultural heritage improves citizens’ quality of life, health and well-being. Access to culture is the second most important determinant of psychological well-being, second only to the absence of disease.

In an interview with Politico you expressed that you “want to focus on promoting [the] value of artistic freedom and artistic expression, and [that] we will defend it, of course, wherever there are attacks,” for “If you want todestroy a nation, you attack its culture.” In order to better defend our way of life, should, in your opinion, artistic freedom be democratized to serve upholding democratic values?

Glenn Micallef: Culture and cultural heritage are the oxygen of our European way of life; they give us this unique feeling of belonging to a common cultural space. They are a source of strength and cohesion. That’s why I’ve said: if you want to destroy a nation, you attack its culture.

But culture needs a public space where plurality of views and freedom of artistic expression are protected. This freedom is essential to democracy, a cornerstone of the European project, and a fundamental EU value. Artistic freedom gives people the power to express diverse perspectives, challenge dominant narratives, and reflect on who we are as a society.

We have a shared responsibility to protect the freedom of artists to create without censorship or intimidation and to express their views on issues of public interest.

All State authorities in the EU must enact and fulfil their obligation to protect and promote freedom of expression as well as artistic freedom and plurality by providing an enabling legal environment. This means, for example, taking criminal threats against artists and cultural institutions seriously, and vigorously prosecuting attacks.

Simply proclaiming the right to freedom of artistic expression is not sufficient.

How might AI change our ideas ab­out artistic freedom, and perhaps, de­mo­cr­acy?

Glenn Micallef: AI does not change my ideas about artistic freedom or democracy. The latter are fundamental pillars of our society, the societyto which AI must serve.

Undoubtedly, AI is reshaping how we create and experience art, opening new creative possibilities. It can enhance human creativity, allowing artists to experiment and co-create, but also people without traditional artistic training to generate sophisticated visual art, music, and writing. Moreover, it engages audiences in ways that were not possible before.

This can be seen as a form of democratisation, enabling a broader range of people to express their creative ideas.

At the same time, it raises important questions about creators’ rights, earning and jobs, cultural diversity, misinformation and disinformation, ethical concerns, authorship, control, and authenticity. These issues touch the core of both artistic freedom and democracy. That’s why the European Commission supports initiatives like STARTS, which bring together artists, scientists, and technologists to ensure that innovation respects cultural and societal values.

We are also addressing risks — like disinformation and deepfakes — through €28 million in R&I projects aimed at developing AI tools for detection and boosting media literacy across Europe. These efforts help safeguard a trust-worthy online environment where free expression can thrive.

Our role as policymakers, at European, national, regional or local level, is to mitigate these risks, while also helping our artists, creative companies and cultural operators make the most of AI and other emerging technologies.

To conclude, when future historians will look back at your tenure as Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, what do you hope they will highlight?

Glenn Micallef: I hope that they will see that our work contributed to Europe becoming a fairer and more prosperous continent. A continent, where every living and future generation is treated more fairly, where young people have a greater share in shaping our democracy and better access to culture, where the culture and creative sector is thriving, and citizens are more physically active.