"Culture Forum" and new perspectives

The Cotroceni Palace will host tomorrow the "Culture Forum," an event organised by the Culture Ministry and the Council of Europe with the support of the Culture and Education Department of the Romanian Presidency.

The forum marks the last stage of the programme of the Council of Europe called "Evaluation of national cultural strategies." The programme aims to identify the development objectives for cultural institutions in the near future to insure proper and more efficient functioning.

The event will be attended by experts from the Council of Europe and representatives of Balkan states that participate to the Mozaic Programme of the Council.

During the two days of the debates, they will discuss programmes and ways to support art, the cultural patrimony, foreign programmes and ways to finance and manage culture.

Maria Berza, Secretary of State, will officially open the manifestation and then the representative of the Romanian Presidency will deliver the inaugural speech.

Vera Boltho - head of the Policy and Cultural Action Department within the Council of Europe, Terry Sandell - Director of Visiting Arts Council, Great Britain, Philip Dracodaidis - Team Leader, Phare; Helen Meixner - director at the British Council, the representative of the Prime Minister and the representative of the Delegation of the European Commission in Bucharest will also be attending the event.

During the manifestation, directors at the Culture Ministry will present projects and programmes for the past four years and will sketch the objectives for the following years.

The following will deliver speeches: Ana Andreescu - director at the Written Culture Direction, Oana Popescu - councilor at the Art Show Direction; Georgeta Butnariu - Financial Resources director, Monica Dumitrescu -general manager at the Culture Centres, Carol Konig -National Minorities director; Delia Mucica - General Secretary, Marin Niculescu - councilor, Museums and Collections, Sergiu Nistor - general manager at the National Cultural Patrimony, Vladimir Simon - general manager at the International Relations Direction.