Second year with Common Cultural Calendar between Kosovo and Albania

Kosovo and Albania will have a common cultural calendar for 2015. Today, in Prishtina, Deputy Prime minister and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Republic of Kosovo, Kujtim Shala and Minister of Culture of the Republic of Albania, Mirela Kumbaro – Furxhi, signed the Protocol on Cooperation in the field of culture, agreeing to include cultural activities of two countries within the scope of Common Cultural Calendar.

With today’s signature, Kosovo and Albania enter in the second year of cooperation with Common Cultural Calendar which is based on the common Declaration on cooperation and strategic partnership between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of Kosovo.

Minister Kujtim Shala estimated the signing of the Protocol a continuance of cooperation between two countries in the field of culture aiming to advance and promote the national culture within the Albanian territories but outside of it, too, considering it as an opening of a path towards increasing other cultural activities.

“Common cultural activities, in accordance with the determined Calendar, in the field of book, theatre, heritage, film, musical and visual arts, enable the presentation, Albanian introduction and self-introduction and is considered as a quality addition to cultural activities, which are valued, protected and at the same time are an honour of national cultural activity in general”, said Minister Shala.

In her turn, Minister of Culture in Albania, Mirela Kumbaro, estimated the signing of the Protocol as an institution that makes both institutions of Kosovo and Albania feel proud about.

“The calendar is not compiled by ministries or ministers, but people of culture, the scene of artists, because the scene belongs to them and not to officials”, said Minister Kumbaro-Furxhi, adding that now common activities have already started to participate in Berlinales with a common board, then other cultural activities in Kosovo and Albania have started from the beginning of the year. “This is just the beginning of a very promising year, which shall be supported by our both ministries”.

The Common Cultural Calendar shall begin with Besa Luigji who performed in Tirana, then works of Muslim Mulliqi which shall be exhibited in Prishtina, not forgetting the participation in the Film Festival in Berlin as two countries under a common board.

Moreover, within the scope of today’s agenda, two ministries held a meeting with the Book Publishers Association of Kosovo, with who they discussed about challenges and problems they face in publishing, distributing and promotion of Albanian book within pan-national territories. In the meeting, they also looked into the opportunity of improving the policies for greater publishing and supporting of the book as well as establishing facilities for selling and distributing it to the reader.

Common Cultural Calendar shall include the following activities:

• Folk Festival of Gjirokastra – mutual engagement of the both ministries in support of this festival.
National Centre of Folk Ctivities shall include in its activities groups from Kosovo. • Annual Conference of Biblioteconomy
• Training in the field of library and creation of a space for the regular promotion of publishing
• A premier of Albanian National Theatre and a premier of Experimental Theatre “Kujtim Spahiogli, which shall be presented in Kosovo during 2015
• Common participation in Berlinale, in the Film Festival in Cane (May 2015)
• Cooperation with the Philharmonic of Kosovo, Baroque (April 2015), Chore concert A Cappella (September - December 2015), Ballet La Stravaganza (July 2015), Opera Le Villi, respective ensembles concert in both countries
• Training shall be organised in the field of heritage and restorations in the scope of heritage, annual conference on heritage (Prishtina/Tirana), cooperation between Museums, international competition Wiki Loves Monuments
• Social Realisation Exhibitions (December 2015)• Support to Dokufest