Azerbaijan Business Center, Azerbaijan
Dec 3 2008
The Council of Europe Culture Ministers adopted the Baku Declaration
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Today The Council of Europe Culture Ministers’
Conference adopted the Baku Declaration on Assistance to the
Intercultural Dialogue.
An attachment to the declaration says that the Conference participants
agreed to strengthen the co-operation process started in Baku within
so-called the Council of Europe White Book on Cultural Dialogue
adopted in May 2008. The Ministers agreed to encourage signing,
ratification and fulfillment of the UNESCO Convention on Protection
and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Self-Expression Forms as
well as the Council of Europe Convention in the Area of Heritage and
Landscapes. It has been also decided to strengthen co-operation
between the Council of Europe, European Union, OSCE and the UN in
development of the intercultural dialogue and tolerance.
`I think the Conference was a success. It will assist development of
the intercultural dialogue,’ Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture and
Tourism Abulfaz Garayev said.
He expressed confidence in the Baku process to initiate a new coil of
cultural interaction between European countries.
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Director General of Education, Culture and
Heritage, Youth and Sport and Coordinator for Intercultural Dialogue
of the Council of Europe, noted that the upcoming Culture Ministers’
Conference within ISESCO to be held in Baku city will help to
contribute to implementation of the Baku Declaration.
At the same time the Conference has not involved representatives of
Armenia.
`Azerbaijan has guaranteed security to Armenia, but nevertheless
Armenia decided not to participate,’ Garayev emphasized.
`Armenia has not used an opportunity to attend the conference, but we
hope it will follow the document adopted in Baku,’ Gabriella
Battaini-Dragoni underlined.
Besides the Council of Europe countries, the Conference was attended
by representatives of Islamic countries as well.