Monika Balatoni, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has discussed possibilities of cultural cooperation with Boris Svetlov, Belarusian Minister of Culture in Minsk on the occasion of the opening of the Hungarian Cultural Days yesterday evening.

The Minister of State for Cultural Diplomacy said at the meeting that the Government is treating culture as an element of the toolbar of diplomatic relations which is getting stronger; so that culture becomes the ‘antechamber’ of close economic cooperation and that’s why it is important as well to maintain a close cultural cooperation in addition to the growing economic relationship.

The State Secretary has added that the Hungarian Cultural Days in Minsk is an important station of a long-term cultural cooperation,  a worthy continuation of the Cultural Days of Belarus four years ago, which was a great success in Hungary.

Boris Svetlov explained during the meeting that with the recognition of Hungarian culture, his country received a treasure from which they will be able to benefit and welcomed the invitation of Monika Balatoni to Hungary in order to devote another week for Belarusian culture in Hungary in 2015.

The Minister is committed to continue the joint work, particularly regarding the potentials of Hungarian innovation and creativity. The next stop of the bilateral cooperation will be the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Belarusian State Opera and Grand Theatre and the Hungarian State Opera; but it was decided as well to seek the establishment of a two-state strategic cooperation about the education of culture and arts in the future.

Monika Balatoni opened the Hungarian Cultural Days at the Belarusian State Academic Musical Theater, where the Danube Folk Ensemble and the Ewald Brass Quintet played full house with great success.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)