An Innovative Implication of the Atlas of European Values for Bridging Cultural Differences within the Danube Region

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the positioning of the Danube countries in the Atlas of European Values and to outline the possibility for the establishment of a common identity among the inhabitants of the Danube region on the basis of shared values and attitudes. Exploration of the prerequisites for an integrated cultural identity within the Romanian-Bulgarian cross-border region along the Danube river. Comparative study of the empirical data about the Danube countries, extracted from all data in the Atlas of European Values.: Identified similarities among the citizens of the Danube countries in relation to the components of their cultural identity. Outlined necessity for increasing the intercultural awareness of the inhabitants of the Danube region in order to overcome the existing cultural barriers and to create prerequisites for common cultural identity. The paper presents the applicability of the Atlas of European Values for wide range of studies in the area of cultural, societal and political sciences. The comparative study of the cultural similarities and differences of the Danube countries is the first of its kind and can serve as a basis of multilayer research of the values within the Danube region.

Keywords

• Danube Region; Atlas of European Values