Tunisia, Italy sign cultural co-operation agreements

Several cultural co-operation agreements between Tunisia and Sicily were signed as part of the working visit paid recently by Culture Minister Ezzeddine Bach Chaouch to Palermo, Sicily, a press release from the Culture Ministry said. The agreements involve co-operation programmes in the areas of heritage preservation, films and cultural trades, including particularly a framework agreement between the Culture Ministry and the Gibellina Orestiadi Foundation and a partnership agreement between the Orestiadi Foundation and the Hammamet International Cultural Centre. According to the same press release, the Tunisian and Sicilian culture ministries also signed an agreement on co-operation between the National Puppet Arts Centre and its Sicilian counterpart. Another framework agreement was also signed between the Tunis National Heritage Institute and the Camarina Archeological Centre for Protection of the Carthage Site. The agreement aims to publicise the cultural characteristics of Tunisia and Sicily. A framework agreement was also signed with the Palermo University to develop cultural and technical co-operation in heritage protection through joint programmes. As part of this visit, the Culture Minister had meetings with the President of Sicily and experts in literature, arts, research, training and creation of cultural institutions. Talks focused on ways to strengthen cultural and tourist exchanges between the two countries and between all the Mediterranean countries.