The narrative starts with two giants who defeated the spirit of defeat and restored France to its former glory. When André Malraux was named Minister of State for Cultural Affairs by General de Gaulle in 1959, ten years later, the mission was enormous and nearly unachievable. Culture was not so much a common leaven as it was a determinant of social differentiation or even exclusion. Books have the potential to be frightening. More museums, and movies were a form of art for urban people.
André Malraux led this new ministry and set out to conquer the "cultural deserts" in the area, being both the heir to several centuries of cultural tradition and steadfastly focused on the future. His directive, "making the capital works of humanity, and first of all of France, accessible to the greatest possible number of French people, to ensure the widest audience for our cultural heritage and to encourage the creation of works of art and spirit which enrich it," was implemented by each of the Fifth Republic's ministers of culture.
Over the course of sixty years, the Republic's founding values have guided successive governments, despite their differences, and the twenty-seven ministers of the finest ministry ever established museums, theaters, and libraries. Among them are eleven women, ranging in rank from Françoise Giroud to Rachida Dati. These men and women have provided the necessary resources for the critical forces of the territories to finish their initiatives, with the backing of an assiduous and devoted administration.
The hearts of the regions beat for approximately 6,000 festivals these days, ranging from the Interceltique de Lorient to the Avignon festival, whose 78th edition starts in a few days. Our everyday lives have purpose because of this pride. She turns it on. It makes him happy, conscious, and brave.
Our only guide should be to protect a universal culture that adds to France's greatness in a world in utter turmoil, from the Cold War to the conflict in Ukraine. The world will have been forever changed by the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris. The very treasure that is our language deserves to be shielded from hegemonic assaults. Given that our legacy is shared, we French people entrust our elected officials with a great deal of responsibility. It is not our place to deny his offspring, our fellow citizens.
Include young people
It is good that France now has over fifty properties on the World Heritage List, ranging from the Place Stanislas in Nancy to the ancient theater in Orange, and from the abbey church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe to the hill of Vézelay. We are responsible for safeguarding and promoting this heritage.
Led by André Malraux, the first cultural center opened its doors in Le Havre in 1961. "Any sixteen-year-old child, however poor he or she may be,... to have real contact with their national heritage and with the glory of the spirit of the 'humanity,'" is the stated goal. The Cultural Pass has expanded this political goal to give young people access to culture since 2019. Four million people between the ages of 15 and 18 are beneficiaries, supporting the cultural awakening and artistic education of a whole generation.
Defending our authors
There could be no creation without creators. And what is a nation that has stopped producing? A lifeless nation, a dry terrain. The governments of the Fifth Republic have all contributed to the cultural exception, guardian of our sovereignty, from the 1981 law on the single price of books, which allowed us to preserve the blossoming of our literature and editorial diversity, to the 2019 European directive on copyright, which shields our creators against American digital giants. Our creators would be abandoned to the wolves without it.
The creative avant-garde and the ancient stones of our country lanes are both expressions of French culture. Its accents are a blend of the French-speaking globe and regional languages. This culture's strength lies in its ability to uphold mandate after mandate in an attitude of accountability while honoring the customs passed down from the past and supporting the innovators of the future. It is its responsibility to make itself available to all French people, regardless of where they reside or where they came from. Let us reflect on André Malraux's legacy. This legacy, more than any other, requires us to do things.
Seen in La Croix © www.vwart.com
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