Ohrid, 12 December 2025 (MIA) – Cultural heritage, as tangible and intangible resource, requires careful and responsible management. In areas where climate change is evident, as well as degradation of space and pressure from mass tourism, it’s necessary to apply integrated methodologies that connect scientific knowledge and practices and modern technologies. Heritage protection is an act of strategic planning and an act of responsibility toward future generations, said Minister of Culture and Tourism Zoran Ljutkov in his speech opening Friday the conference of the Council of Ministers of Culture of South East Europe - Enhancing Culture for Sustainable Development (CoMoCoSEE) in Ohrid. 

From climate risks to socio-economic disruptions, he said, it’s evident that culture cannot remain on the margins of social and civilized development. The regional strategy on cultural cooperation in South East Europe, adopted in Ohrid in 2014, laid the foundations of cultural cooperation in the region, said Ljutkov, but today it’s evident that the formal choice of priorities must expand with functioning mechanisms and enhanced mutual trust. Cultural policies are the most successful when founded on an institutional framework and human interaction. 

“In this framework, digital transformation isn’t only an instrumentalization of new technologies, it’s also a creation of dispersed, creative models in the approach, visibility and participation in culture. Through digitization, we make culture available without space and social limitations. It also strengthens the potential of cultural and creative industries, being an important segment in modern economies,” the minister said.

Ljutkov noted the role of local communities saying they are not only bearers of tradition, but also the key actors keeping culture alive. 

“When citizens are engaged in the creation, interpretation and protection of cultural practices, a stable foundation is created for long-term sustainability and authentic development. To that end, our joint initiative for the establishment of a regional fund for cultural cooperation could serve as a key institutional step having the potential to provide stability, predictability and professionalisation of regional activities,” said Minister Ljutkov. 

Addressing the forum, Magdalena Landry, Director of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, based in Venice, said South East Europe is a region with a remarkable cultural diversity and long continuity of creativity and resilience and UNESCO for more than three decades has been supporting efforts aimed at preserving it. 

“These meetings and the documents they produce are a confirmation of our vision to integrate culture as the driving force of development, strengthening institutions, creative sectors and regional cooperation. Your work coincides with MONDIACULT 2025 priorities – from advancing cultural rights and integrating culture into education, to developing cultural economy, promoting peace, strengthening resilience of heritage and ethnic use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The commitment of the countries in the region to protecting heritage, sustainable tourism and addressing modern threats underlines the key role of culture in creating inclusive and resilient societies,” she said. 

The declaration “Sustainable Cultural Models for the Future” was adopted at the ministerial meeting with participants calling it a ley step in creating a single space of cultural standards, development and mutual coordination aimed at creating a region that is stable, inclusive and capable of using its own cultural potential as the driving force of development. 

Friday’s conference in Ohrid brought together culture ministers, deputy ministers and officials from SEE countries.

The Republic of Macedonia took over the presidency of the Council of Ministers of Culture of South East Europe - Enhancing Culture for Sustainable Development (CoMoCoSEE), in 2024 during a ministerial conference, held in Montenegro’s Herceg Novi. 

Photo: MIA 

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