From April 1st to 4th, a Greek delegation paid a visit, consisting of the director of the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments and the head of the Directorate for the Preservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments, to North Macedonia. The purpose of the visit is the possible signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the two countries for the preservation of Byzantine sites and monuments, located in several areas of North Macedonia.
The prospect of an agreement also includes academic cooperation with research and human resources training to protect this cultural heritage. Such a move would bring countries even closer culturally.
Byzantine culture is an integral part of the history of Hellenism through time. The Byzantine Empire, however, extended far beyond the present Greek borders, where other states currently exist, so in this case it could be said that Greece shares with North Macedonia some Byzantine legacies.
In order to promote its culture, which is directly related to the Byzantine one, Greece, in addition to the cooperation agreements, could finance the creation of museums, or cooperate with the existing ones in the neighboring country (something that has already been launched) in order to manage and preserve such an important cultural heritage. Museum Diplomacy plays a key role in shaping the national and cultural identity that a country projects abroad, while it is one of the most appropriate ways of exercising soft power.
Tsiapalas Vassilios, Trainee
References:
Cooperation between Greece and North Macedonia for the Byzantine cultural heritage,
Museum Diplomacy, Retrieved from: https://helleniculturaldiplomacy.com/%ce%b4%ce%b9%cf%80%ce%bb%cf%89%ce%bc%ce%b1%cf%84%ce%af%ce%b1-%cf%84%cf%89%ce%bd-%ce%bc%ce%bf%cf%85%cf%83%ce%b5%ce%af%cf%89%ce%bd/
North Macedonia: Cooperation with Greece for the restoration of the Byzantine cultural heritage, Retrieved from:https://www.capital.gr/epikairotita/3536254/boreia-makedonia-sunergasia-me-ellada-gia-apokatastasi-tis-buzantinis-politistikis-klironomias
Retrieved from: https://www.kathimerini.gr/culture/561315271/synergasia-elladas-voreias-makedonias-gia-ti-vyzantini-politistiki-klironomia/
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