Cultural life in Liechtenstein is supported by a large number of associations and groups based on voluntary commitment (see 2.7). Volunteers in the country’s eleven municipalities are involved in music, local history, art galleries and even museum associations with their own facilities. The cultural associations are an indispensable supporting structure for art and culture as well as for cultural participation.
According to a 2008 study on “Social Capital and Well-Being in Liechtenstein”, 36 per cent of Liechtensteiners were involved in voluntary work at that time, and about one in two young people up to the age of 24 (56 per cent). Liechtenstein had around 500 associations with over 15,000 members with interests in sports, culture, social affairs, religion, politics, the environment, etc. The most popular form of participation was in a sports association, followed by cultural associations or initiatives.
Since there are no further surveys on voluntary work for Liechtenstein so far, it is not possible to make any statements on the development or to derive any comparisons, for example, between the areas of sport, culture or social affairs.
At its 52nd session of the General Assembly, the United Nations declared 2001 the International Year of Volunteers. In addition to recognising the achievements of volunteers and networking among organisations, the objectives of the UN Year were to promote volunteering and mobilise new volunteers. The government of the Principality of Liechtenstein endorsed these UN objectives in 2003.
Liechtenstein celebrates Volunteer Day on 5 December each year. Furthermore, LGT Bank in Vaduz, which belongs to the Princely House’s LGT Group, has presented the biennial LGT Award for Social Commitment since 2014. In a world where people have less and less time, it is particularly important to support charitable work in the long term.
Socio-cultural institutions and initiatives play a very important role in Liechtenstein. These cover education and politics, children and youth, social work and senior citizens, as well as the environment. The focus is on mobilising population groups in order to release potentials for shaping the world we live in. Socioculture in the sense of a contribution to the democratisation of art and culture as a complement to traditional cultural forms and cultural institutions is still in its infancy in Liechtenstein (2.6).
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