Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus

The agreement provides for establishing direct ties in the field of music and dance among concert organizations and art associations. The document envisages exchange of singers, music and dance groups, and promotion of their participation in international contests and festivals held in Belarus and Cuba. Plans have been made to establish direct ties among drama, puppet and other theaters of the two countries, and organize tours and performances of theater companies and individual artists, including at theater festivals. Belarus and Cuba will develop cooperation among museums and galleries. The countries will establish ties among museum experts and exchange information about scientific conferences and seminars. Belarus and Cuba will also intensify their collaboration in library science. They will promote the participation of experts in seminars and conferences, exchange book exhibitions, educational and bibliographic materials. The agreement provides for cooperation in cinema, participation in film festivals, and exchange of information. The countries will work to create favorable conditions for collaboration among filmmaking organizations.

Direct ties will be established among the culture and arts schools, which will allow for promoting the participation of their students in international contest and festivals held in Belarus and Cuba. The countries will cooperate in conservation and restoration of historical and cultural heritage. The agreement will promote the exchange of best practices among experts.

Belarus and Cuba will also collaborate in the field of folk art, update each other on the international folk festivals they host and promote the participation of their representatives. The five-year agreement enters into force on the date on which it is signed. The commencement of this document ends the cooperation agreement between the Culture Ministry of Belarus and the Ministry of Culture of Cuba signed in Havana on 15 September 1997. Boris Svetlov views the agreement as an important step in the development of the cooperation in culture between the two countries. The Ministries of Culture of Belarus and Cuba will now take steps towards its implementation. Gerardo Suarez Alvarez believes that Belarus and Cuba should update each other regularly on the cultural events they organize, and also promote knowledge about Belarusian culture in Cuba and about the Cuban traditions in Belarus. The countries have great opportunities for stepping up their cooperation in cinema, music, dance, and cultural heritage. All this will contribute to the intensification of the bilateral relations.