Greece Strengthens Cultural Ties with India and Lithuania

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni with Indian Foreign Affairs and Culture Deputy Minister Meenakshi Lekhi. Photo source: Ministry of Culture.

Greece is taking steps to strengthen its bilateral relations with India and Lithuania in the fields of cultural heritage and contemporary culture.

India’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, met with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni during a recent official visit to Greece and held talks which centered around establishing a closer cooperation in culture.

During their meeting, the two ministers discussed the possibility of submitting joint nominations to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list and collaborating on the research and promotion of marine antiquities.

On that note, it was decided that joint working groups, consisting of experts from both countries, would be established to explore common cultural contributions and influences to assist the credibility of the nomination files.

In addition, Mendoni and Lekhi agreed to encourage cooperation between Greek and Indian museum organizations and  facilitate the exchange of exhibitions between these museums.

The ministers recognized that the close cultural ties between Greece and India, along with the existing mutual appreciation and understanding between their people, can provide fertile ground for the further strengthening of bilateral cultural relations.

Greece-Lithuania focus on closer cooperation

(From left): Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys was given a guided tour of the Acropolis Museum by Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and the museum’s general manager, Nikos Stambolidis. Photo source: Ministry of Culture.

The Greek minister also held a working session with Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys during his visit to Greece in January.

Mendoni informed her Lithuanian counterpart on Greece’s efforts for the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles to the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

On his part, Kairys informed Mendoni about a joint letter of support from Estonia, Latvia and Poland to the European Commission, which aims to prioritize Ukrainian artists, cultural professionals, media, and refugees within the “Creative Europe” program for 2023. Mendoni expressed her support to the effort.

The two ministers also discussed proposals for joint cultural initiatives that could offer more collaboration opportunities to their artistic and local communities in the future.