Skopje, 14 July 2023 (MIA) - I firmly believe that culture's strength, cooperation and creativity will improve political cooperation. Culture always raises us to new grounds, said North Macedonia's Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska on Thursday, addressing the opening of the "Substrates" exhibition - a joint project by the Open Balkan initiative and Serbia's Cultural Centre in Paris. The exhibit is focused on contemporary art and highlights the fundamental connections between North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania within Open Balkan.

The exhibition which was held under the auspices of the Ministries of Culture of North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania, was addressed by North Macedonia's Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska and her Albanian and Serbian counterparts, Elva Margariti and Maja Gojković respectively, who confirmed the idea of affirming the goals of the initiative in creating European countries on the Balkan, and culture has a strong influence on that.

"I firmly believe that the strength of culture, cooperation and creativity will improve political cooperation. Culture always raises us to new, better grounds. That is why the support from the three Ministries of Culture - Serbian, Albanian and Macedonian is also present here. We are here today, in these great halls of Serbia's Cultural Centre in Paris, in the spirit of the Open Balkan initiative, and "Substrates" is proof of the strength of the cultural tree that we nourish. It would be foolish to tempt it by carving out our initials and bad messages on its trunk," said Kostadinovska-Stojchevska in her address.

The Minister also thanked the exhibit curator Claudia Paetzold for the extraordinary idea, as well as the artists Kristina Pulejkova, Nina Zeljković, and Driant Zeneli for showcasing the best their cultures have to offer.

The exhibition, which is a testament to the transformative power of art and culture in uniting nations, will be opened until August 12.

Albanian Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti, said that the exhibition as a regional project, and art in general, is the reason for gathering.

"Culture, as history has shown, has always been a bridge for communication and connection between nations. Our governments are committed to actively supporting and facilitating this regional and cultural mosaic through bilateral agreements," Margariti noted.

Serbian Minister of Culture, Maja Gojković, emphasized the exhibition's importance, which is the result of only one year of work after the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation of the Open Balkan initiative in Ohrid.

"We have shown that culture knows no boundaries, nor is it a slave to prejudice, and that it easily overcomes all barriers. The Open Balkan project, and everything that has been achieved so far because of it, is a joint effort to create a new and a better picture for our region in the world," Gojković said.

The exhibition, which is a testament to the transformative power of art and culture in uniting nations, will run through August 12.

Photo: Ministry of Culture