Information for Mass Media

New stage of cultural cooperation between Russia and Europe

The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the European Commission (EC) and Delegation of EC in Moscow co-organise the International Seminar "Russia — EU: Signs of the Road Map of the Cultural Cooperation".

Seminar was held on 8 December 2009 in Moscow on the premise of the State Historical Museum on the Red Square.

This event was arranged in accordance with the Joint Statement of the Permanent Partnership Council (PPC) on cooperation of Russia and EU in the field of Culture, which was adopted in Mafra (Portugal, 25 October 2007).

This initiative was reconfirmed by the 3rd Meeting of the Russia — EU Joint Working Group at its meeting in Moscow on 10 June 2008.

Seminar was aimed at discussing new format of cooperation between Russia and EU, defining potential focus areas for the improvement of policy and the regulatory environment in Russia and the EU, facilitating cultural cooperation between both parties and implementation of joint projects, and discussing the proposals for the development of practical cooperation in the field of culture.

Seminar structure provided for plenary sessions, presentations of the best Russian-European projects in the field of culture, as well as several thematic sessions for discussion of best practices of cooperation between Russia and EU, issues on financing of joint projects and development of multi-stakeholder cooperation, prospects for strengthemimg mobility of artists and arts.

To conduct the thematic sessions of the Seminar, quite a number of reputable experts in the relevant fields of culture were invited.

As the result of the Seminar, a Final Document reflecting outcomes of the discussions and recommendations on promotion of cultural cooperation between Russia and the EU will be elaborated by the end of 2009.

This seminar brought together over 150 participants from 22 European countries and from 20 Russian regions — representatives of government authorities in the field of culture, representatives of EC and other international organisations, experts from EU member states, cultural attachés of the Embassies of EU countries in Moscow, representatives of cultural institutions, private foundations, agencies and other cultiral organisations from Russia and EU member countries (including Russian and European NGOs whose role is crucial in establishing sustainable long-term patterns of relations).

The Seminar operator was a Russian NGO Institute of the Information Society.

Working languages of the Seminar were Russian and English. Simultaneous interpretation was provided throughout the event.

Presentations of the seminar will be published in original languages on the seminar web-page (http://cultureworkshop2009.iis.ru/) by the end of 2009.

At the beginning of 2010 materials of the Seminar will be published in Russian and English in a printed format and on the web-page of the Seminar.