ZAGREB, May 31, 2018 - Croatia's Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek formally opened an exhibition on Croatian intangible cultural heritage in Strasbourg on Wednesday, inaugurating Croatian cultural events over the next six months during the country's chairmanship of the Council of Europe, which has its seat in the city.
Croatia took over the Council of Europe chairmanship from Denmark in mid-May, and over the next six months a number of events will be held in Strasbourg to present Croatian culture.
"Today, together with the deputy mayor of Strasbourg, we have inaugurated Croatia's presence in the city through a cultural programme. There will be a lot of events and exhibitions," the minister told Hina.
The exhibition "Croatian intangible heritage on UNESCO's lists" was organised in cooperation with the City of Strasbourg. There will also be an exhibition of UNESCO sites in Croatia, an exhibition of Croatian architecture, a Croatian film week and several concerts, which will mostly be held in the city's churches. In addition to the cultural events, a tram decorated with Croatian symbols will be running in Strasbourg over the next six months.
"With our programme, we want to present to Strasbourg our culture in its full diversity," Obuljen Koržinek said after the raising of the Croatian flag outside the City Hall on the Place de la Republique, the city's main square, where Council of Europe ministers met for the first time in 1948.
The ceremony was attended, among others, by Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland and Croatian members of the European Parliament Dubravka Šuica and Tonino Picula.
The priorities of the Croatian chairmanship of the Council of Europe will be the fight against corruption, protection of ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups, decentralisation in the context of strengthening local government, and protection of cultural heritage and cultural routes.
