Cultural Integration of Muslims in Europe: Prevention of Cultural Misunderstanding and Radicalism. EL-CSID Working Paper Issue 2017/5 • July 2017

In recent years, the European Union (EU) has been promoting cultural diplomacy, framed in terms of dialogue between civilisations/cultures, and has aimed to exploit its role in the conduct of foreign policy. A recent declaration from the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, has urged caution, emphasising the importance of cultural diplomacy: “Investing in cultural diplomacy could help strengthening the economy of your region, but especially creating bridges, letting others know us and knowing others reciprocally, establishing bonds among people especially during these hard times, to prevent fears and radicalisation both in Europe and abroad. This is why we have worked so hard to the first European strategy for cultural diplomacy.”