THE TOP-16 NEWS OF THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JANUARY

The latest arts and culture news from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

Armenia

Digitalization of Armenian literature is among priorities for 2016, Nerses Ter-Vardanyan, Armenia’s deputy minister of culture told. In 2015 more than 3 million pages have been already digitalized, the official noted, stressing that among them were 700 ancient books and rare Armenian periodical press. All of them are now freely available online. Newsarmenia.am

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Armenian full-length animation film “Anahit” will be translated into French, David Saakyants, animation director told, Newsarmenia.am reported. The premier of the full-length animation film “Anahit” took place in December 2014 in Yerevan. Translation of the film into French would be organized by Armenian communities of Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier and Nice, the media outlet added.

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Azerbaijan

Days of Moscow underlined the role of Russian language in Azerbaijan. Participants of Days of Moscow conducted in Baku in the second half of December noted solicitous attitude to Russian language in Azerbaijan, Sputnik.az reported. The Russian community of Azerbaijan accounts to above 120 thousand people and is the biggest one in south Caucasus, Mikhail Zabelin, an Azeri MP told. Participants of the event also underlined that the country has 300 Russian language secondary schools including some schools where the education is conducted exclusively in Russian. Around 17 thousand students and 11 thousand schoolchildren are being taught in Russian. Besides, Azerbaijan has 14 news agencies and 50 newspapers in Russian, participants of the event noted. Sputnik.az

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Azerbaijan will participate in 18 tourism fairs in 2016, press service of Azerbaijan’s ministry of culture and tourism informed, Interfax-Azerbaijan reported. Among others the country’s tourism potential will be demonstrated in New York, Istanbul, Almaty, Dubai, Izmir and other cities. Interfax-Azerbaijan

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Minister of culture and tourism: 2015 was successful for movie industry. Abulfaz Garayev, Azerbaijan’s minister of culture and tourism noted development of movie industry in 2015. Today all funds allocated to the film industry are not spent in vain, the minister told, adding that obvious positive results in the industry are visible for everyone. Interfax-Azarbaijan

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Belarus

Lukashenko declared 2016 the year of culture in Belarus. President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus announced 2016 to be the year of culture in his country, Belarus segodnia reported. The attention will be given to culture in all spheres of activities, the press service of Belarus leader wrote, noting that in particular the focus lies on education of patriotism, culture of production, family relationships, beautification of settlements and support of creative initiatives. On top of this, a set of activities are planned to celebrate major anniversaries for Belarus culture. Belarus segodnia

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A Belarus cultural center in Chine is set to be opened in 2016, said Irina Driga, first deputy minister of culture. The Council of the Republic, the upper house of Belarus Parliament, has ratified respective agreement with China on mutual establishment of the cultural centers, she said, adding that the Belarus cultural center will be opened at the country’s embassy. Belarus segodnia

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About 150 thousand people have visited Days of Belarus Culture in France. In the framework of the Days of Belarus Culture, the country’s embassy in France has organized 36 events in 37 French cities, press service of the embassy reported. Belarus national museums, theaters, dance collectives, ensembles and others took part in the events that were visited by around 150 thousand people. On 17 December, the Days of Belarus Culture were officially closed in Paris with the participation of diplomates, business representatives and representatives of French public. Belarus segodnia

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Georgia

Georgia among top 2016 travel destinations, according to the Guardian. Georgia has been selected among top international holiday destinations for 2016 by The Guardian newspaper's travel section alongside some of the most exotic and novel locations across the globe. Shortlisted in an unranked selection of 40 countries and cities across the world for the New Year, Georgia was picked by travel experts of the paper as a location that was "less crowded than much of Europe but offers much more bang for your buck." The pick highlighted cheap flights, Caucasian mountains, sights and venues in capital Tbilisi and local wine culture as some of the reasons to visit the country in 2016. The list, titled Where to go on holiday in 2016, called Georgia "a promising destination for off-the-beaten track adventure in a landscape of mountains and lakes." Agenda.ge

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Four ministers including on culture will leave the Cabinet. Four ministers responsible for education and science, culture and monument protection, finance as well as internal affairs will leave Georgian Government by the end of January, Gruzia online wrote. Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvil has unexpectedly stepped down in late December and was then replaced by his party fellow Giorgi Kvirikashvili. Gruzia online

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Moldova 

Romania has invested about EUR 300 thousand in Moldova’s culture projects. According to the data of Romania’s foreign ministry, in 2015 the country invested around EUR 300 thousand in Moldova’s cultural projects. Most of the funds were allocated to media (EUR 125 thousand) and churches (EUR 85 thousand). EUR 26 thousand were spent on organization of music and cinema festivals while another EUR 20 thousand were used for holding summer schools. Blackseanews

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Ukraine

Ministry of culture updated “black list” of Russian cultural actors. Ukraine’s ministry of culture included 43 persons in the list of people threatening the national security, hence increasing the list to 83 persons most of whom are Russians, Informing.ru reported. Besides, Ukraine’s media regulator has recalled TV channels not to broadcast movies featuring actors from the “black list,” Liga added. This ban relates also to popular soviet movies like “Ironia sudby” [“The irony of fate”] and “Kavkazskaya plennitsa” [“The Caucasus hostage”]. Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, Ukraine’s minister of culture, however, proposed to expel soviet movies of Eldar Ryazanov from the black list. Liga reported.

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Ukraine’s Government submitted agreement on Ukraine’s accession to “Creative Europe” to the Parliament for ratification. Respective project of the law was registered in the Parliament on 11 January. Pressorg24

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Minister of culture proposed to withdraw licenses of radio stations that don’t air songs in Ukrainian language. DT.ua quotes Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, Ukraine’s minister of culture proposing to immediately withdraw licenses of national radio stations that do not air songs in Ukrainian language. DT.ua

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Ukraine launched project on Donbas cultural integration. Ukraine’s ministry of culture has launched a project “Ukrainian Donbas” aimed at cultural integration of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts into Ukrainian cultural space. The project will contribute to Donbas cultural integration with Ukraine through inter-regional cultural partnership, Liga reported.

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Other region related news

EU seeks Culture and Creativity Leaders in Eastern Neighbourhood. The EU-Eastern Partnership Culture and Creativity Programme announced a call for the selection of 50 cultural leaders from the six countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The Programme provides capacity building for managers from private enterprises, state bodies and civil society organisations working in the creative sectors. Participation in the Programme is free-of-charge. Enpi-info 

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