CULTURAL HERITAGE: - Macedonian Information Centre

4 - lidija toPuzovSka
The opening of the Round Table entitle regional Cooperation for
Cultural Heritage in South-east europe: goals, results, and future directions
followed.
In conformity with the Program, three projects were presented in
the session:
- “Creation of a regional center for digitalization of cultural heritage”
in Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia, as an activity of the
UNESCO Office in Venice.
- “Pilot activities for education and Culture”, as an activity financed
by the Italian Government via the International management
group – mission in Skopje;
- “Project for formation of an institute for conservation and restoration
of cultural heritage in Serbia,” as an activity of the Ministry of
Culture of the Republic of Serbia.
The first session ended with the discussion of the members
and recommendations for conclusions on the previously presented
initiatives.
At the second, the final session of the International Working Group,
the following conclusions and recommendations were adopted:
- The activities arising from the first two conferences in Mostar
and Venice were fully supported;
- Cultural tourism was indicated as a joint subject that should
be compatible with the preservation of the identity and social
cohesion on a local level. The support to cultural tourism, with
the meaning of a promotional instrument, should be accompanied
by measures that are aimed at making it economically, culturally,
and socially sustainable;
- Promotional and educational activities should be integrated
in the initiatives for the improvement of the cultural heritage
management;
- Special attention should be dedicated to the reinforcement of
bilateral, as well as of regional cooperation and border-cross
activities of cultural itineraries/corridors:
- Development of one’s own capacities and education of professionals,
as a need that was also underlined by some ministers in their
presentations at the plenary session, remains as the top priority
in the regional cooperation in the field of cultural heritage. For