A two-day seminar dedicated to the exploration of the potential and challenges that get in the way of the development of cultural and creative industries in the Eastern Partnership countries was opened Thursday, June 25, in Chișinău.

The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova and the European Commission.

The need of developing the cultural and creative sectors is an absolute necessity! Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) go through a significant changes series, fact that is caused in the most part, by the progress of digital technologies. The European Union promotes the cultural sectors as promoters of employment and development according with 2020 strategy, having the aims to impel the economic growth and to create new jobs.

The seminar was opened by the European Union Ambassador in Moldova, Pirkka Tapiola, Minister of Culture, Monica Babuc and Deputy Minister of Economy Tudor Copaci. The event is organized in the 4 Platform of the Eastern Partnership "Contacts between people".

During those two days of seminar, cultural operators, creative entrepreneurs and policy makers from several member states of European Union and from Eastern Partnership countries will hold discussions on ways to support the development of cultural and creative sectors from their region. Participants will discuss the potential and challenges which are confronted the creative industries from the Eastern Partnership countries in several working groups and roundtables.

This event offers to all participants the opportunity to exchange successful practices and to provide the schemes of specific support and policies based on the cooperation between public authorities, civil society operators and entrepreneurs.

Culture and creativity are integral components of the Eastern Partnership. Since 2009, the EU involved in a political dialogue concerning the culture with its Eastern partners, evolved in the 4 Platform of the Eastern Partnership "Contacts between people".

General Information:

The EU program "Creative Europe" supports cultural and creative sectors. The Republic of Moldova and Georgia already have joined it. "Creative Europe" is a European frame-program dedicated to support the creative domains, culture and audiovisual with a budget of almost 1.5 billion EURO.

The objectives of the „ Creative Europe” Program are the following:

- To support the cultural and creative sectors to profit by the opportunities of the digital period and globalization;

- To boost the cultural and creative sectors to achieve and to exploit maximum the economic potential, contributing to the sustainable growth, job creation and social cohesion;

- To provide to cultural sectors and mass media access to the international opportunities, markets and audiences.

Additionally, the European Union supports “sectors of culture” through the Eastern Partnership. A second stage of the Eastern Partnership Culture Program was launched this spring and helps to the development of the necessary capacities in the partner countries with the aim to elaborate sustainable strategies for historical cities, identify and analyze their cultural and creative sectors as well as join and benefit from the program "Creative Europe" Program.

This regional seminar aims the strengthen of these objectives and initiatives.

 Agenda Seminar on CCS_2015_english [2]