Athens, 8 December 2020

Teleconference of Bureau of Greece–Poland Parliamentary Friendship Group and Chairperson of Permanent Committee on Educational Affairs of Hellenic Parliament with their counterparts in the Sejm

A teleconference was held on the theme “Access to Culture during the pandemic – exchange of views” with the Bureau of the Parliamentary Friendship Group between Greece and Poland (Chairwoman: Mrs. Olga Kefalogianni, Vice-Chair: Mr. Christoforos Emmanouil Boutsikakis, Secretary: Mr. Alexandros Meikopoulos), the Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Educational Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Georgios Stylios and the Bureau of the relevant Parliamentary Friendship Group (chaired by Mr. Daniel Milewski) and the Chairman of the relevant Committee of the Polish Sejm, Mr. Piotr Babinetz.

Discussed were problems and structural issues brought to the fore by the pandemic and faced by the cultural and creative sector and the need for a quick response and adjustment to the new reality. It was pointed out that this global situation has accelerated technological developments and boosted the implementation of new tools for easier access to culture, through the internet and via digitalization. 

Contact with cultural and creative issues is an indisputable way out of the social isolation brought about by the imposed restrictive measures and it helps citizens preserve their mental health and growth. Under no circumstances, however, can it act as a substitute for physical presence and contact.

The two delegations exchanged good practices to support and upgrade the cultural-creative sector and enhance cooperation therein and to support the relevant labour force during the pandemic. Cooperation proposals were also set in motion for the post-pandemic period. 

It is worth noting that a) the Polish side has supported systematic efforts by the Hellenic Parliament to establish a permanent Exhibition on the Greeks of Auschwitz at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, b) the Polish side has expressed the wish to actively contribute to the preparation of the Celebration of the Bicentennial of the Greek Revolution, c) it is very important for the Polish delegation that the S19 “via Karpathia” expressway be finished, as it will link many countries and areas and will play a key role in the transmission of cultural values between them and d) the Greek delegation intends to accelerate the ratification process for the Cooperation Agreement in the fields of Culture, Education, Science, Youth, Sports and Media, that has been previously signed between the two countries.
 

 

 

 

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