The protection of cultural heritage and the role of culture in promoting European integration

This article analyzes the legal protection of cultural heritage and the role of cultural heritage in promoting European integration. From a legal perspective, the notion of culture stems from the preamble of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and is considered as a fundamental norm; however, cultural rights have been an overlooked and often ignored category of human rights for decades. The article thus aims at studying such a complex legal issue both from the perspective of International Law as well as under European Law in order to understand the way culture fosters integration within the European Union.