Deputy Minister of Culture Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou and Minister of Culture of Serbia Nikola Selakovic, have decided ways to strengthen cultural cooperation in the context of a meeting, that took place at the archaeological site of Viminacium, near Belgrade.
According to a press release issued by the Deputy Ministry, on Saturday, during the meeting, the two Ministers referred to the close ties of friendship and cultural cooperation that connect the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening relations between Cyprus and Serbia through the development of joint cultural activities.
Dr. Kassianidou expressed the gratitude of the Republic of Cyprus for the selection of Cyprus as an honored country at the 68th Belgrade International Book Fair, and exchanged views with her Serbian counterpart on ways to strengthen cooperation in the fields of literature.
The two officials discussed about the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will lay the foundations for a structured and long-term cultural cooperation between the two countries, as well as a second Memorandum of Understanding to combat the illegal trafficking of antiquities – a proposal that the Serbian Minister of Culture warmly embraced, the press release says.
Moreover, they discussed about the transfer to Cyprus of the exhibition on the destruction of Serbia’s cultural heritage in the Kosovo region (Metohija region), which will also be hosted in Cyprus.
The two sides exchanged proposals for further ways of cooperation and exchange of expertise at various levels, with the aim of strengthening the already close relationship between the two countries, the press release said.
After their meeting, they exchanged commemorative gifts and made statements to the media, confirming their will to continue and deepen the cultural cooperation between Cyprus and Serbia, the press release added.
The Deputy Minister of Culture was given a tour of the premises of the Viminacium museum that is under renovation, to the study and conservation laboratories, as well as the archaeological site, where she visited the Roman baths, the amphitheater, the necropolis and the storage area of a Roman ship that was recently located nearby.