The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has endorsed a decision declaring Dushanbe, the capital and largest city of Tajikistan, as the CIS Cultural Capital for 2021, according to the CIS Executive Committee
According to the ECO Cultural Institute, quoting Fars News Agency, On 18 November 2020, the meeting of the CIS Advisory Board on Cultural Cooperation was held via videoconferencing.
The Council members were briefed on the state cultural policy in the Republic of Uzbekistan and drew the outcomes of the implementation of the Plan of Priority Measures for Cultural Cooperation in the CIS for 2016-2020. They also discussed the implementation of a similar document designed for 2021-2025 and the development of a draft Action Plan dedicated to the Year of Folk Art and Cultural Heritage to be announced in the CIS in 2022.
The representatives of the Commonwealth countries positively assessed the implementation of the Program "Shymkent - CIS Cultural Capital 2020", taking into account the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the status of "CIS Cultural Capital" passes to Dushanbe.
The meeting participants approved the drafts of the Concept of the Virtual Museum of CIS Cultural Heritage and the Action Plan for the Establishment and Development of the Virtual Museum. They also decided to develop a draft Provision on the Museum.
In addition, the Council members considered issues of international cooperation of art universities of the CIS, cooperation in the preservation and reconstruction of written heritage, popularization of national cultures and a number of other issues.