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SUPPORT PROGRAM PROGRAM PODRŠKE
REG LAB TWINNING EXCHANGE MENTORSHIP SUMMER SCHOOL
REG LAB TWINNING RAZMJENA MENTORSTVO LJETNA ŠKOLA

PUBLIC STATEMENT ON CULTURAL COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS

04.08.2022.

Following the conclusions of the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Culture, Research and Innovation, Education and Training that took place in Tirana on 27 and 28 June, Kooperativa calls upon the national governments in the Balkans and the EU to rethink the framework of action for cultural cooperation in the region, urging them to:

~ Recognize the key role independent culture had and continues to have in reconciliation and peacebuilding in the region

~ Recognize the key role of independent culture as the producer and promoter of progressive social ideas and democracy as well as the innovator of models of wide participation of citizens and stakeholders in cultural production and related decision making processes

~ Urgently establish dialogue with civil society organisations working in the field of independent culture in the Balkans and remain attentive to the excellent and innovative practices of cooperation and exchange that the sector has pioneered

~ Establish a region wide dialogue and strategy for culture including all of the countries of the Balkan region based on the good practices of the Nordic and Visegrad regions.

Read the whole statement below:

ZAGREB, 4.8.2022.

PUBLIC STATEMENT ON CULTURAL COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS

Balkan countries share a common cultural space, and despite the differences (or perhaps precisely because of them), they share a history of cultural diversity and cooperation. Having been affected by conflict, war and transition this cultural space remains continuously influenced by the geo-political restructuring on a regional, European and global scale. Even though the Western Balkans region remains one of the priority enlargement areas for the EU, this process is affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as the global economic, ecological, and health crisis.

Cultural cooperation in the Balkans is one of the key ingredients in peacebuilding processes, reconciliation, democratic transformation of our societies as well as prompt and creative responses to the economic, ecological and deepening social crisis. Uneven institutional frameworks in the countries of the region as well as weakly coordinated policies on regional cooperation remain a permanent challenge to (cultural) cooperation in the region. At the same time, it is significantly affected by the unstable and precarious position of independent culture in the entire region (insufficient institutional stability, short-term financing of projects and programs, lack of space and resources to name a few).

On 27 and 28 June, the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Culture, Research and Innovation, Education and Training took place in Tirana. As a network dedicated to promoting and enabling resources, infrastructure and a mechanism for regional cultural cooperation, Kooperativa welcomes the efforts of the European Commission and the local governments in establishing a framework for dialogue and cooperation in the field of culture between countries in the Balkans. 

However we express our concerns regarding several aspects of the EU Agenda for the Western Balkans as well as the conclusions of the Tirana meeting:

In terms of the political agenda, civil society organisations working in the field of independent culture have been marginalised and/or excluded from high-level meetings and consultations. It remains unclear in which way (if at all) civil society organisations and independent cultural organisations will be included in defining the institutional frameworks for regional cultural cooperation. At the same time local governments in the Balkans are still reluctant to engage these actors as equal partners in dialogue regarding cultural strategies and models for institutional support to (independent) culture. 

In terms of the thematic agenda the emphasis on solely approaching the strategic priorities of the EU without analysing the needs of the cultural ecosystems in the region is worrying. We find this troublesome in the light of alarming trends of commercialization of culture and its push towards creative industries which have been part of European cultural strategies for over a decade, and which are being underlined as strategic priorities for culture through the European Green Deal as well as the New European Bauhaus. We also express our concern that the main focus of the new Ministerial platform remains heritage, thus leaving out the entirety of contemporary cultural and artistic production outside of any institutional framework and support.

In terms of the regional agenda, the composition of the consortium of Ministers reflects lack of awareness of the peripheral position of the EU members from the Balkans within the EU. This especially refers to their underdevelopment in terms of democratisation, development of cultural politics, and promotion of European values. We find worrisome the lack of concrete measures aimed at strengthening the cooperation between EU and non-EU members from the Balkans to foster reconciliation, democratisation and dialogue.

Given the complexity of the issue at hand, Kooperativa strongly suggests a rethinking of the framework of action which would include civil society actors from the field of independent culture into the dialogue and the decision making processes. We urge the European Commission as well as all of the local governments to:

~ Recognize the key role independent culture had and continues to have in reconciliation and peacebuilding in the region

~ Recognize the key role of independent culture as the producer and promoter of progressive social ideas and democracy as well as the innovator of models of wide participation of citizens and stakeholders in cultural production and related decision making processes

~ Urgently establish dialogue with civil society organisations working in the field of independent culture in the Balkans and remain attentive to the excellent and innovative practices of cooperation and exchange that the sector has pioneered

~ Establish a region wide dialogue and strategy for culture including all of the countries of the Balkan region based on the good practices of the Nordic and Visegrad regions

Only through a dynamic and effective framework for cooperation which remains alert to the pressing societal and cultural issues can we produce cultural strategies which meet the guidelines of contemporary cultural policies fostering quality cultural production which is included in international cooperation programs. At the same time, only by remaining open and alert to immediate social, cultural, geographical as well as natural surroundings and issues can we build international cultural cooperation based on active and equal engagement of a large number of stakeholders not only in terms of artistic creation and cultural production, but also in terms of functioning and maintenance of its framework.

In the name of Kooperativa – Regional Platform for Culture

Management Board:
Davor Mišković, president
Peter Cerovšek
Luka Knežević-Strika
Vullnet Sanaja
Tijana-Ana Spasovska

Coordinator:
Tihana Pupovac

PUBLIC STATEMENT ON CULTURAL COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS

04.08.2022.

Following the conclusions of the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Culture, Research and Innovation, Education and Training that took place in Tirana on 27 and 28 June, Kooperativa calls upon the national governments in the Balkans and the EU to rethink the framework of action for cultural cooperation in the region, urging them to:

~ Recognize the key role independent culture had and continues to have in reconciliation and peacebuilding in the region

~ Recognize the key role of independent culture as the producer and promoter of progressive social ideas and democracy as well as the innovator of models of wide participation of citizens and stakeholders in cultural production and related decision making processes

~ Urgently establish dialogue with civil society organisations working in the field of independent culture in the Balkans and remain attentive to the excellent and innovative practices of cooperation and exchange that the sector has pioneered

~ Establish a region wide dialogue and strategy for culture including all of the countries of the Balkan region based on the good practices of the Nordic and Visegrad regions.

Read the whole statement below:

ZAGREB, 4.8.2022.

PUBLIC STATEMENT ON CULTURAL COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS

Balkan countries share a common cultural space, and despite the differences (or perhaps precisely because of them), they share a history of cultural diversity and cooperation. Having been affected by conflict, war and transition this cultural space remains continuously influenced by the geo-political restructuring on a regional, European and global scale. Even though the Western Balkans region remains one of the priority enlargement areas for the EU, this process is affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as the global economic, ecological, and health crisis.

Cultural cooperation in the Balkans is one of the key ingredients in peacebuilding processes, reconciliation, democratic transformation of our societies as well as prompt and creative responses to the economic, ecological and deepening social crisis. Uneven institutional frameworks in the countries of the region as well as weakly coordinated policies on regional cooperation remain a permanent challenge to (cultural) cooperation in the region. At the same time, it is significantly affected by the unstable and precarious position of independent culture in the entire region (insufficient institutional stability, short-term financing of projects and programs, lack of space and resources to name a few).

On 27 and 28 June, the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Culture, Research and Innovation, Education and Training took place in Tirana. As a network dedicated to promoting and enabling resources, infrastructure and a mechanism for regional cultural cooperation, Kooperativa welcomes the efforts of the European Commission and the local governments in establishing a framework for dialogue and cooperation in the field of culture between countries in the Balkans. 

However we express our concerns regarding several aspects of the EU Agenda for the Western Balkans as well as the conclusions of the Tirana meeting:

In terms of the political agenda, civil society organisations working in the field of independent culture have been marginalised and/or excluded from high-level meetings and consultations. It remains unclear in which way (if at all) civil society organisations and independent cultural organisations will be included in defining the institutional frameworks for regional cultural cooperation. At the same time local governments in the Balkans are still reluctant to engage these actors as equal partners in dialogue regarding cultural strategies and models for institutional support to (independent) culture. 

In terms of the thematic agenda the emphasis on solely approaching the strategic priorities of the EU without analysing the needs of the cultural ecosystems in the region is worrying. We find this troublesome in the light of alarming trends of commercialization of culture and its push towards creative industries which have been part of European cultural strategies for over a decade, and which are being underlined as strategic priorities for culture through the European Green Deal as well as the New European Bauhaus. We also express our concern that the main focus of the new Ministerial platform remains heritage, thus leaving out the entirety of contemporary cultural and artistic production outside of any institutional framework and support.

In terms of the regional agenda, the composition of the consortium of Ministers reflects lack of awareness of the peripheral position of the EU members from the Balkans within the EU. This especially refers to their underdevelopment in terms of democratisation, development of cultural politics, and promotion of European values. We find worrisome the lack of concrete measures aimed at strengthening the cooperation between EU and non-EU members from the Balkans to foster reconciliation, democratisation and dialogue.

Given the complexity of the issue at hand, Kooperativa strongly suggests a rethinking of the framework of action which would include civil society actors from the field of independent culture into the dialogue and the decision making processes. We urge the European Commission as well as all of the local governments to:

~ Recognize the key role independent culture had and continues to have in reconciliation and peacebuilding in the region

~ Recognize the key role of independent culture as the producer and promoter of progressive social ideas and democracy as well as the innovator of models of wide participation of citizens and stakeholders in cultural production and related decision making processes

~ Urgently establish dialogue with civil society organisations working in the field of independent culture in the Balkans and remain attentive to the excellent and innovative practices of cooperation and exchange that the sector has pioneered

~ Establish a region wide dialogue and strategy for culture including all of the countries of the Balkan region based on the good practices of the Nordic and Visegrad regions

Only through a dynamic and effective framework for cooperation which remains alert to the pressing societal and cultural issues can we produce cultural strategies which meet the guidelines of contemporary cultural policies fostering quality cultural production which is included in international cooperation programs. At the same time, only by remaining open and alert to immediate social, cultural, geographical as well as natural surroundings and issues can we build international cultural cooperation based on active and equal engagement of a large number of stakeholders not only in terms of artistic creation and cultural production, but also in terms of functioning and maintenance of its framework.

In the name of Kooperativa – Regional Platform for Culture

Management Board:
Davor Mišković, president
Peter Cerovšek
Luka Knežević-Strika
Vullnet Sanaja
Tijana-Ana Spasovska

Coordinator:
Tihana Pupovac