Declaration

Tirana, Albania, 22 February 2017

Final Statement

We, the Ministers and Heads of Delegations participating in the present meeting of the Council of Ministers of Culture of South East Europe – Enhancing Culture for Sustainable Development (CoMoCoSEE), Gathered today, on 22 February 2017, in Tirana, Albania, within the framework
of the Albanian Presidency of the CoMoCoSEE, Referring to the principles determined in the Charter of the Council of Ministers of Culture of South-East Europe signed on 31 March 2005 in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Appendix and Second Appendix to the Charter approved on 15 April 2011 in Bucharest, and on 28 June 2014 in Ohrid respectively, Fully confirming the contents, aims and principles of the Ohrid Regional Strategy for Cultural cooperation adopted on 28 June 2014, and the following Istanbul Declaration of 25 February 2016, as well as the necessity of their further implementation.

Fully confirming the principles of the Declarations approved in Mostar (2004), Venice (2005), Ohrid (2006), Varna (2006), Sofia (2007) Zadar (2007), Bucharest (2008), Zagreb (2008), Cetinje (2010), Belgrade (2011), Ljubljana (2013), Ohrid (2014) and Istanbul (2016);

Welcoming the positive developments of cultural exchange, relations and cooperation between our countries,

Acknowledging the important contribution of culture, cultural diversity and cultural heritage to sustainable social and economic development of
contemporary societies and to the quality of people’s lives, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the spirit of the Faro Convention,

Reaffirming our commitment to further enhance regional and bilateral cooperation on culture and cultural heritage as a driving force for dialogue,
creativity, good neighbourhood and cohesion of the region, in the spirit of mutual respect, peace and stability, as well as to coordinate and monitor
operational activities to further implement the Ohrid Strategy and Istanbul Declaration…