Integral Cultural Space in Europe: Equal Rights and Transition Processes in the Eastern and Central European Countries

The paper aims to evaluate the main features of the creation and development of the integral cul-tural space in Europe and the main problems of provision of equal rights in the context of the transi-tion processes in the Central and Eastern Europe. The paper has used the outcomes of the research conducted over the recent several years, dedicated to the diagnostics of the problems of transforma-tions as well as economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe with a special refer-ence to the development of the integral cultural space and human rights. Major findings show that the creation and development of the integral cultural space in Europe is a very complex and controversial process and in this course various problems and conflicts arise. Therefore, to encourage the creation of the integral cultural space in Europe appropriate cultural policies are necessary to be imple-mented. These policies may embrace many priorities including: the preservation of cultural diversity, adaptation and dissemination of integrated European dimensions, elimination of inappropriate factors within humanism and democracy of all European countries, provision of equal rights in all groups of modern society. For implementation of key priorities of cultural policies the use of a number of pan-European scale special programmes is suggested. Raktažodžiai: transformacijos, bendra kultūros erdvė, Rytų ir Vidurio Europa, lygios galimybės