Professionals, organizations from culture sector of Moldova, Italy to boost cooperation

Chisinau, 18 June /MOLDPRES/ - The professionals and the organizations of the culture sector from Moldova and Italy will boost the cooperation. At the same time, the two countries will promote mobility initiatives, exchanges of young artists and will organize a string of bilateral cultural events, beginning with festivals up to plays, exhibitions and book fairs. The actions will be carried out after the Executive Programme on Cultural Cooperation between the governments of Moldova and Italy for the period 2024-2027 was signed in Chisinau today. 

The document was signed by Culture Minister of Moldova Sergiu Prodan and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Edmondo Cirielli. The event took place in the presence of Presidents Maia Sandu and Sergio Mattarella, during an official visit by the Italian head of state to Moldova.    

„The cultural diplomacy is extending and the cultural relations between Moldova and Italy will be stronger,’’ Sergio Prodan said. The official emphasized that the programme encouraged the direct cooperation between the professionals and the organizations from the culture sector of the two countries in the fields of literature, visual arts, music, dance and theatre, cinematography, editing of books.     

„We will promote the initiatives of mobility, the exchange of young artists and the residencies of creation, as well as the organization of a string of bilateral cultural events, beginning with festivals up to plays, exhibitions and book fairs. We want to deepen also the collaboration in the sectors of protection of the cultural heritage and of archaeology, of linguistic research and librarianship,’’ the minister noted.    

According to the culture minister, Italy is a friendly country for Moldova, with which the country is connected through the Latin roots of the two languages, with which Moldova has close diplomatic relations and where hundreds of thousands of Moldovans found the second home. ‘’As for the culture people, Italy is the country with an inestimable cultural and artistic heritage and with a rich experience in its turning to account. In this respect, the Programme will give us the advantage to assimilate the Italian good practices in the culture sector and to organize memorable events for the citizens of both countries,’’ Sergio Prodan said.    

The minister also said that, this year, the DescOperă festival of classical music in open air, due in Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) on 21-23 June, was dedicated to the centenary of the birthday of the great Giacomo Puccini – the composer who was paid homage at a concert held on the occasion of the visit to Chisinau by President of Italy Sergio Mattarella, and which, conducted by master Mihai Agafita, brought together reputed artists from Moldova.     

„We achieve, in this way, our desideratum of cultural diplomacy, which creates bridges between countries and people. This is a model of successful cultural and interstate dialogue, of which I am proud and which we want to develop in continuation. We should consolidate the strong relation between our countries and edify together our European future,’’ Culture Minister Sergiu Prodan said after the end of the event.   

Moldova and Italia have earlier signed similar Programmes on cultural cooperation, valid for different periods of time.