Georgia and Turkey strengthen cultural ties at first meeting of Joint Committee

Georgia: The first meeting of the Joint Committee of Georgia and Turkey on Cultural Affairs was held in Istanbul on December 21, 2023. The conference aimed to strengthen the cultural ties of both countries.

The delegations of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey attended the meeting, led by their respective deputy ministers, Nikoloz Aznaurashvili and Gokhan Yazgi.

The meeting aims to enhance the cooperation between the two countries in various fields of culture, such as cinema, literature, cultural heritage, performing and fine arts, and museums/exhibitions. 

The delegations discussed the opportunities and challenges of joint filmmaking and creative collaborations in the audiovisual sector. They also exchanged views on the issues of performing and fine arts institutes, the development of relations between museums, and the participation in international book fairs, literary festivals and competitions.

The delegations agreed to continue their cooperation in tangible and intangible historical and cultural heritage protection and conduct joint scientific and restoration research. They also expressed their willingness to promote the exchange of experience and technical and expert support.

The meeting was held within the framework of the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey, signed in Ankara on May 21, 1992. 

The agreement regulates the cooperation between the two countries in almost all areas of culture and provides the basis for establishing the Joint Committee.

Georgia and Turkey have a strategic partnership and a long friendship and cultural exchange history. Turkey is the largest trading partner and one of the leading investor countries of Georgia. 

The two countries also cooperate in the trilateral format of Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, which covers political, security, and economic issues. The cultural cooperation between Georgia and Turkey contributes to further developing their bilateral relations and promotes their shared values and interests.