Conference of Ministers responsible for Culture in Europe and its neighbouring regions

“Intercultural dialogue as a basis for peace and sustainable development in Europe and its neighbouring regions”
Baku, 2-3 December 2008

Conference of Ministers responsible for Culture was held in Baku on 2 and 3 December 2008 on the theme of “Intercultural dialogue as a basis for peace and sustainable development in Europe and its neighbouring regions”. The Conference is organized together with the Council of Europe.
This conference was a very substantive initiative which clearly illustrated that dialogue among cultures and civilizations is indeed a realty of today’s world and one of its important aspects. This event was the first of its kind, brought together the ministers of culture of the Council of Europe and the ministers of culture of number of ISESCO member states which makes this Conference another major step in the development of dialogue and mutual understanding in the globalized world.
The conference highlighted the vital role of cultural policy and action in fostering understanding among different regions, cultures and provided a great opportunity to launch a sustainable process that will include future high-level and practice oriented meetings between key cultural policy makers and operators in Europe and its neighbouring regions on initiatives related with intercultural dialogue. The Baku Ministerial Conference has offered a key opportunity to follow up the Council of Europe “White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue” and its recommendations, including on how Europe engages in dialogue with its neighbours.
The representatives of the 49 States Parties to the European Cultural Convention and of the Council of Europe bodies, representatives from selected mainly Mediterranean ALECSO/ ISESCO member states, senior officials from the Council of Europe, the European Commission, UNESCO, GUAM, TURKSOY, IRSICA, ICOMOS, ICCROM and other international organisations and foundations, European NGOs as well as leading international experts in the area of cultural policy, intercultural dialogue, heritage, and prominent figures from the arts/ cultural community took part in the events in Baku. At the result of the conference Baku Declaration for the Promotion of Intercultural Dialogue has been adopted and “Artists for dialogue” project was launched.