International Seminar On The Topic "Reconsidering Cultural Cooperation in the Western Balkans" Starts
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The State Cultural Institute under the Minister of Foreign Affairs is organizing an international seminar and working visit on the topic "Rethinking Cultural Cooperation in the Western Balkans", in implementation of a project under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The initiative is attended by delegations from Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro, directors of galleries, museums, theaters, representatives of local and state authorities, active participants in the non-governmental sector with extensive experience in managing international creative projects, driven by the idea of strengthening multilateral cooperation between cultural institutions in the region in the context of European integration. The program of the one-week seminar is dedicated to building dialogue and sustainable cross-border networks, the development of cultural diplomacy as a tool for regional integration and international positioning, as well as the promotion of inclusion, reconciliation and democratic principles - through culture.
The content of the seminar program is structured in several thematic areas. In Sofia, the panels "Cultural Diplomacy - Visions, Stories and Ambitions" and "Empowering Networks - Capacity for Collective Impact" are presented, dedicated to the new dimensions of cultural interaction and the exchange of successful models from Bulgaria and the region. In the following days in Plovdiv, the emphasis will be on the panel "The Cultural Pulse of Plovdiv - Heritage Meets Modernity", which will bring together international participants with contemporary cultural policies, the development of cultural spaces and the synergy between tradition and innovation. As a moderator of the seminar, the director of the State Cultural Institute Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova emphasized the need to strengthen communication in the cultural sector and cultural industries on a regional level, which will improve the environment.
The seminar was officially opened by Deputy Minister Elena Shekerletova, who congratulated the team of the State Institute of Culture for the implementation of the project and their active work. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of such meetings and discussions, which bring people together and get to know each other, and provide prerequisites for new joint projects in the field of cultural diplomacy. “Culture is a strategic goal – a bridge for mutual understanding, through it we promote dialogue in the Balkans and build trust.” She also emphasized the role of such projects, financed by Bulgarian official development assistance, in building institutional capacity, good governance and promoting regional dialogue on issues of mutual interest.
The plenary presenter was Dr. Alexandra Milanova, Senior Assistant Professor and Scientific Coordinator at the Institute of Balkan Studies with a Center for Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, who provided an in-depth overview of the role and importance of cultural diplomacy over the past two centuries, at the European and regional levels, as well as outlined international projects that have been implemented jointly with the State Cultural Institute and a number of embassies in our country, referring to sharing good practices and experience in cultural diplomacy as a key tool in foreign policy interaction.
The aim of the project, which is being implemented by the State Cultural Institute, is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the strategic role of culture in the process of European integration, to identify innovative models of cooperation and to formulate practical recommendations for cultural policies at the regional and national levels. The finale of the working visit will be marked on October 10 in Sofia with the presentation of certificates and a closing session. The project is part of Bulgaria's consistent efforts through the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program to promote cultural dialogue, solidarity and shared European values in the Western Balkans, positioning the region as an active partner in contemporary European cultural diplomacy.