site.bta Britain Supports Bulgaria in Preservation of Cultural Heritage

Britain Supports Bulgaria in Preservation of  Cultural Heritage

Sofia, May 19 (BTA) - Britain firmly supports all initiatives of Bulgaria's Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov for the preservation of the cultural heritage, for the fight against illegal trafficking in cultural property, and for a memorable cultural programme of Bulgaria's EU Presidency in 2018 and of Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture 2019.

This emerged at Rashidov's meeting with Ed Vaizey, Britain's Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy, in London on Thursday, the Culture Ministry in Sofia said.

Vaizey congratulated Rashidov on Bulgaria's exceptional exhibition in the Louvre and the new cooperation agreement signed with that museum, and praised the Culture Ministry's efforts to preserve the cultural heritage and prepare an ambitious programme of the Bulgarian EU Presidency.

Rashidov backed the idea that Bulgaria could be showcased in the British Museum, and that British art could be exhibited in Bulgaria in the next two years.

The two ministers concurred that their countries should sign an agreement on the fight against illegal trafficking in cultural property and should work together for the digitization of the cultural heritage. Britain is setting up an agency for heritage digitization.

Vaizey assured Rashidov that Britain would readily participate in initiatives which are part of the programme of Plovdiv as European Capital of Culture 2019.

On the second day of his working visit to London, Rashidov will meet with the new leadership of the British Museum.