Minister Bogdanović signs Cultural Cooperation Programme 2018-2020 between Ministry of Culture of Montenegro and Ministry of Culture of Republic of Albania

Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanović and Minister of Culture of the Republic of Albania Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi signed today Cultural Cooperation Programme between the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Albania for the period 2018-2020. The Ministers signed the document following a joint session of the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of Albania, which was held today in Shkodër.

Minister Bogdanović said that such bilateral meetings are always the best form for defining key initiatives and activities.

The signed programme recognizes film and cinematography as a significant area in relations between the two countries, emphasises the importance of the development of theater, fine arts and music, as well as the protection and preservation of cultural goods. The programme of cooperation that will be implemented in 2018, 2019 and 2020 implies implementation of project of the Film Centre of Montenegro and the Film Centre of Albania, the Montenegrin National Theater and the National Theater of Albania, the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Albania.

In the field of cultural heritage, the Programme includes projects related to the cultural heritage of Svač and the Church of St. Srđo and Vlaho, the organisation of the folklore festival, the presentation of the Marubi Museum, cooperation on the implementationn of the cultural route project at Skadar Lake, the digitalisation of archival material and the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field of protection and preservation of cultural goods. Institutions and organisations of the two countries will jointly participate in the training of the Regional Centre for Conservation and Restoration of South East Europe, as well as at the Balkan Film Fair organised in Tirana.

The cooperation programme was coordinated during the official visit of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Albania Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi to Montenegro in April 2018, when a joint meeting was held with the directors of the cultural institutions of the two countries. The document is signed on the basis of the Agreement on cooperation of the two ministries from 2009.