The state encourages trans-national cooperation between arts and heritage institutions, professional associations, networks, and other NGO actors in cultural policy, heritage protection, theatre, dance, film, music, etc. At present, the Ministry for Culture funds yearly membership fees to several international organisations. In addition, it supports the participation of Azerbaijan specialists at conferences of the European Music Council, World Congresses of Dance Researchers, European Council of Artists conferences, etc.
Each higher education institution, the Baku Academy of Music, the Baku Choreography Academy, the State University of Culture and the Arts, Azerbaijan National Music Academy, Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts, carries out various international activities. Moreover, they all have agreements with leading foreign higher educational institutions regarding training students, exchanging experience, and implementing joint projects.
The Union of Azerbaijan Theatrical Workers, Union of Azerbaijan Journalists, Union of Azerbaijan Ashıqs, Azerbaijan National Culinary Association, other creative unions and professional cultural networks have extensive ties around the world with their foreign colleagues and similar organisations. They organise joint events, exhibitions, concerts, hold international festivals and competitions, and implement mutually exciting projects in their areas of activity.
Large institutions in the field of culture and art, libraries, museums, cinematographic institutions, publishing houses, art galleries, reserves, research centres, et cetera, independently conduct active international activities with the support of government agencies, if necessary.
Backing for international festivals are one element of direct professional cooperation, and the Ministry for Culture supports national and international conferences and festivals organised by different professional communities. Among such events are the regular International Mugham Festivals, International Music Festivals in memory of Uzeyir Hajibeyli, International Qabala Music Festivals, International Mstislav Rostropovich Festivals, and so on.
The readers of this project may be interested in the fact that, for example, the 10th-anniversary meeting of the project “Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe” was held in Baku on 4-5 December 2008, with the participation of many eminent researchers from the Council of Europe and ISESCO member-states. It was a rather unusual and exciting meeting of cultural policy researchers to offer a significant opportunity to promote intercultural dialogue and examine new opportunities for future transnational cooperation.
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