Serbia, Angola sign agreement on cultural cooperation

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Culture Maja Gojkovic and Angolan Minister of Culture and Tourism Filipe Silvino De Pina Zau signed on Friday in Belgrade an intergovernmental programme of cultural cooperation for 2024-2026.

After the signing ceremony in the Serbian government building, Gojkovic said Zau was in Belgrade for the Tourism Fair but that the programme had been under preparation for a long time as the first such document in 45 years.

Gojkovic said the agreement with Angola was a major contribution to advancement of overall bilateral relations.

She said it opened up possibilities for cooperation in several cultural fields, including the film industry as one of the priorities as both countries showed great interest in development of audiovisual arts.

Gojkovic said Serbia and Angola were both signatories to a Unesco declaration against illicit trade in cultural property and also wanted to sign an agreement in that field.

She said Angola was welcome as a guest at EXPO 2027, to be hosted by Belgrade.

After visiting a Belgrade street named after Agostinho Neto - the first president of Angola - and a monument honouring the Angolan politician, physician, poet and humanist, Zau said he was aware of the friendship between the two countries.

He said Angolans had fond memories of former Yugoslav President Tito, who he noted had been a great friend of their country and had greatly helped its liberation from Portuguese colonial rule.