Cooperation, partnerships and funding of the Regional Centres of Cultural Heritage in Southeast Europe

The first meeting of the Regional Centres of Cultural Heritage in Southeast Europe with the theme: Cooperation, partnerships, funding, which was held at the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology is completed. The meeting was opened with welcoming speeches by the Deputy Minister of Culture prof. Berislav Šipuš, Head of Culture Unit UNESCO Office in Venice Anthony Krause and MCPA director dr. Luka Bekić. In the first part of the meeting current and future work of the UNESCO's Regional Centers from Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia were presented. Their achievements are proof that these centers are a fundamental starting point for education and cooperation in Southeastern Europe. Their development will continue to be supported by relevant state institutions, as well as UNESCO, as through the program Culture - A Bridge to Development. The second part of the meeting was devoted to presentations of the future methods of funding which could contribute to better development and sustainability of UNESCO centers. Representatives of the World Bank, European Commission, the Regional Cooperation Council and the European Fund for the Balkans described more closely systems and methods of financing through their institutions and structures and brought closer the possibilities of applying projects at their addresses. Advice and guidance given will certainly help centers to continue to develop with the help of European and international funds. The common conclusion is that such meetings are required for expansion of regional cooperation and to help further improvement of the care of cultural heritage.