During the UNESCO Mundiacult in Barcelona, the European Commissioner for Culture, Glenn Micallef, invited Maestro Jordi Savall to a meeting to discuss how to promote the protection of historical music and young talent within the future Creative Europe programme 2028-2033.
Barcelona, 30th September 2025 — On Tuesday morning, the Mies van der Rohe Foundation in Barcelona hosted a culturally significant meeting between Maestro Jordi Savall and European Commissioner for Culture Glenn Micallef. At the Commissioner’s personal invitation, the meeting aimed to exchange reflections on the future of culture and music in Europe. The meeting took place at the Mies van der Rohe Foundation, with the support and mediation of Europa Nostra and its Secretary General, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović.
The meeting included the participation of prominent institutional representatives, among them Stephanie Bonnici, member of Commissioner Micallef’s Cabinet; Monica Urian, Programme Manager at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture; and Manuel Szapiro, Director of the European Commission Representation in Barcelona. Representing the International Centre for Early Music Foundation were Maria Bartels, Maestro Savall’s personal, artistic and literary advisor, and David Galán, the Foundation’s General Coordinator, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to dialogue and collaboration with European authorities in support of the future of culture and music.
The meeting focused on major issues for the future of European culture, such as the protection and promotion of music performed according to historical practices, professional opportunities for young musicians, mental health in the cultural sector, and the fundamental role of research in preserving and transmitting intangible heritage.
During the dialogue, Commissioner Glenn Micallef expressed the European Commission’s firm commitment to culture, stating: “Investing in culture and music is investing in defence,” emphasizing the strategic value of culture as a tool for cohesion, identity, and peace within a democratic and plural Europe.
One of the most memorable moments of the meeting was when the Commissioner asked Maestro Savall which piece of music he would choose if he could only keep one. The Maestro replied “with the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the hymn celebrating peace and the brotherhood of all humanity.”
Maestro Jordi Savall emphasized the importance of solid public policies that guarantee real opportunities for young musicians, while promoting artistic quality, innovation, and emotional well-being in the sector.
Europa Nostra, represented by Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, highlighted the meeting as an inspiring example of European cooperation and reaffirmed its support for initiatives such as Prometheus21, which work to create a European cultural ecosystem based on excellence, inclusion, and sustainability.
The meeting took place a few hours before the concert Maestro Savall gave at the Palau de la Música Catalana, a true hymn to peace with the participation of 80 musicians from 38 different nationalities, symbolizing intercultural dialogue and coexistence through music.
The encounter reaffirmed the commitment of Jordi Savall and Prometheus21 to a Europe united through culture, where music becomes a transformative force and an instrument of peace and hope.
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