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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Cultural cooperation must be multilateral

Athens, 3 April 2009

Serbian Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic said today that the Council of Europe programme “Cultural Corridors of South East Europe” and the European Commission programme “Culture 2007-2013” are the best frameworks for future international cultural cooperation.

Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Culture Ministers from Southeast Europe, currently being held in Athens, Bradic said that cultural cooperation must become multilateral in the future.

He said that in 2008 the Serbian Ministry of Culture carried out a programme dedicated to intercultural dialogue during which institutions, organisations and individuals participated in mapping out and promoting projects and processes for intercultural dialogue in Serbia.

He said that artists and professionals in the area of culture are forced to seek funds on their own in order to travel and visa restrictions and conflicting regulations in different countries only serve to isolate societies.

Bradic said that the Council of Culture Ministers could adopt strategies that would be focused on resolving problems concerning the mobility of artists and professionals.

The conference, which was opened by Greek Minister of Culture Antonis Samaras, also involved Director of the Council of Europe’s Directorate of Culture, Cultural and Natural Heritage Robert Palmer, Director of the Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue in the UNESCO Katerina Stenou, as well as representatives of culture ministries of Albania, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.

The ministers of culture discussed regional cooperation and intercultural dialogue in Southeast Europe, the redefinition of cultural policies and the implementation of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

The Serbian delegation also promoted the Council’s website, available at www.culturesee.org.

Bradic and his Greek colleague discussed the joint project for reconstruction of the Nebojsa Tower and the idea of Greece being guest of honour at the 2009 Belgrade book fair.

Bradic also met with Director of the Council of Europe’s Directorate of Culture, Cultural and Natural Heritage Robert Palmer and discussed ways of promoting cooperation with the Council of Europe and Serbia’s participation in the regional programme for the rehabilitation of cultural heritage in Southeastern Europe, Days of European Heritage as well as projects promoting intercultural dialogue.