T European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21 st century „ Page 5 Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21st century (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 22 February 2017 at the 1278th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies) he Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, under the terms of Article 15. b of the Statute of the Council of Europe, — Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a closer unity between its members and that this aim may be pursued, in particular, through joint action in the field of culture and cultural heritage; — Having regard to the pioneering work of the Council of Europe in the field of cultural heritage and, in particular, the European Architectural Heritage Year organised in 1975 and concluded with the European Charter of the Architectural Heritage (Charter of Amsterdam), which led to growing awareness at European level of the importance of heritage and the adoption of integrated heritage policies in all member States; — Considering the irreplaceable contribution of heritage experts that is reflected inmany conventions, the implementation and follow up of which is the responsibility of the Council of Europe member States in coop- eration with relevant stakeholders, namely in : „ the European Cultural Convention (ETS No. 18), signed in Paris on 19 December 1954; „ the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (ETS No. 121), signed in Granada on 3 October 1985; „ the European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (revised) (ETS No. 143), signed in Valletta on 16 January 1992; „ the European Landscape Convention (ETS No. 176), signed in Florence on 20 October 2000; „ the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (CETS No. 199), signed in Faro on 27 October 2005; — Stressing the contribution of these conventions to the setting-up of a fundamental reference frame- work for national policies in the field of cultural heritage; — Convinced that the protection, conservation, promotion and enhancement of the cultural heritage help to build more inclusive and fairer societies, based on the principles that constitute the common legacy of the peoples of Europe; — Convinced that heritage policies contribute to improving the living environment and the quality of life of Europeans, and play a significant role in strengthening the social fabric and economic advancement; — Emphasising that the management of cultural heritage with full regard for the principles of democracy and human rights is a challenge for all societies throughout Europe, and indeed worldwide, and that a Euro- pean approach can help strengthen the coherence and efficacy of the measures to be adopted at the level of each member State;