STAGE Project ministerial colloquy on cultural diversity and European identities in the South Caucasus
Strasbourg, 27.09.2004 – The importance of cultural diversity and
European identities in ensuring democratic stability will be at
the heart of a ministerial colloquy in Moscow on 30 September and
1 October. The colloquy, which is the fourth of its kind, is being
organised by the Council of Europe at the invitation of the Russian
authorities, and forms part of the Council’s STAGE Project (Support
for Transition in the Arts and Culture in Greater Europe) (*).
The meeting will be opened by Alexander Sokolov, Russian Minister of
Culture and Communication, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, the Council of
Europe’s Director General of Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and
Sport (representing the organisation’s Secretary General) and Johannes
Landman, Dutch Ambassador to the Council of Europe (representing the
organisation’s Committee of Ministers). The participating Ministers
of Culture will adopt a final declaration at the end of the colloquy.
The new STAGE Action Plan for 2004-2005, and ways to develop European
co-operation and partnerships with South Caucasus countries (including
the twinning of museums and libraries, developing links between cities,
etc.), will also be on the agenda.
A session will also be devoted to best practices in culture in the
Russian Federation, involving experts from the Institute of Cultural
Policies in Moscow and the Russian Institute for Cultural Research.
The colloquy, which will be open to the press, will take place from
9.30 am to 6 pm on Thursday 30 September and from 10 am to 4 pm
on Friday 1 October at the President Hotel (24 Bolshaya Yakimanka,
Moscow). A press conference will take place at 4.30 pm on Friday.
For further information, please see
or contact Estelle Steiner (press officer, tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 33 35,
mobile +33 (0)6 08 46 01 57, e-mail [email protected]).
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(*) The STAGE project is aimed at assisting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
in developing efficient cultural policies and fostering contacts and
exchanges between themselves, as well as with other European nations. It
includes the three participating countries from the South Caucasus as well
as observer and donor countries (Germany, Austria, Greece, Russian
Federation, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine).
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