Bilateral meeting of the delegations of the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Culture of Greece
In the fields of cultural heritage and of modern culture, the first Cultural Cooperation Agreement between Greece and Cyprus, signed on Friday in Nicosia, by the Deputy Minister of Culture Lina Kassianidou and the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni.
As stated in a statement of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, the Agreement is a continuation of the systematic cooperation of the Ministries of Culture of the two countries, as a result of the work of the 1st Supreme Council of Cooperation of Greece-Cyprus under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Nikos Christodoulidis, which took place in Athens last November.
The Agreement, it is added, provides for the exchange of good practices concerning the organization of archaeological museums with an emphasis on the construction of the new Archaeological Museum in Nicosia, as well as the organization and exchange of periodical exhibitions.
It is reported that subsequently, in bilateral meeting of the delegations of the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Culture of Greece “confirmed the unbreakable ties, the close, fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation of the two countries in the field of culture”.
In the context of the digital transformation in Greece, intensive work is being done with the creation of the Archaeological Cadastre, the Portal of Mobile Monuments, the Historical Archive of Excavations and Restorations and their operating systems, and it was agreed to transfer know-how for the respective issues to Cyprus. For this purpose, the dispatch of experts is planned within 2024.
Furthermore, the exchange of know-how was agreed upon.through the Organization for the Management and Development of Cultural Resources (ODAP) in the formation and organization of sales and salable items in the archaeological sites and museums of Cyprus, but also in the training of Cypriot students in the ODAP's copy production workshops, as well as with their participation in its programs IEK Ekmageion, which is expected to operate immediately.
Mutual goal is to support producers, co-producers and participation of theatrical forms in festivals and educational programs with the aim of regular presence of Cyprus in all important festivals in Greece.
At the same time, the political will of both sides was confirmed to strengthen traditional and modern handicrafts through the exchange of know-how and good practices, support of craftsmen and designers, organization of educational programs and overall creation of strategic programs for the reconstruction and development of handicrafts in both countries, which have a long and important tradition in the genre.
In addition, it was agreed to strengthen the cooperation of the two countries within the framework of International Organizations, and especially UNESCO, given the great experience that Greece has in preparation of nomination files, for the benefit of the respective Cypriots.
Particular emphasis was placed on strengthening cooperation in the field of protection of cultural goods from illegal trafficking, with the two countries taking the initiative to create a network with other countries of the Mediterranean, with which Greece and Cyprus have excellent cultural cooperation.
