Culture Minister Lina Mendoni had a working meeting with the State Department‘s senior official for culture and education, Dr. Darren Beatty, in Washington yesterday for the second time since taking office in February. The working meeting was held in a very friendly atmosphere, confirming the very high level of Greek-American relations and the central role of culture in bilateral relations.

Lina Mendoni said: “We had an excellent meeting with Darren Beatty, which confirmed our strategic cooperation and our commitment to strengthen our cultural relations. Especially at this time, when Greek-American relations are at an extremely high level in many critical areas. Culture is a connecting and unifying force between the two countries. Darren Beatty has a deep knowledge of Greek culture and this allows us to substantially review, evaluate and decisively strengthen our cultural relations, especially in the coming year, the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence, and, in 2028, on the occasion of the Olympic Games, in Los Angeles.”

Darren Beatty and Lina Mendoni have agreed to organize events next year, ahead of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, that highlight the similarities and parallels between ancient Greek thought and that of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Specifically, to collaborate on hosting an exhibition dedicated to ancient Greek democracy at a museum in Washington, as well as a performance of ancient drama, by the National Theatre of Greece.

Once again, the close cooperation between the two countries in the field of combating illicit trafficking of cultural goods was confirmed, cooperation which has already yielded extremely positive results, especially in the level of repatriation of antiquities. In this context, it was agreed to renew the current Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Greece, signed in 2011, on the Imposition of Import Restrictions on Categories of Archaeological and Ethnological Material, which aims to combat antiquities theft and the return of illegally acquired cultural property.

The Minister of Culture briefed Darren Beatty on the conference organized by the Department of Culture, as part of its annual conferences and seminars, in cooperation with the State Department’s Cultural Heritage Center, the US Embassy, and ICOM. The conference was held in October in Athens with the participation of many Balkan and Southeastern Mediterranean countries, focusing on actions and ways to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural goods, leaving an extremely positive footprint.

Lina Mendoni presented to her interlocutor the advantages that Greece currently presents as a competitive destination for the production of digital works and games, proposing the creation of a partnership or the conclusion of an agreement in this field, which would include the facilitation of investments, the organization of training programmes and workshops. Darren Beatty showed particular interest and pledged to examine ways to create more new opportunities and conditions for cooperation between the American industry, in the audiovisual sector, and Greece. Finally, the two sides agreed to cooperate systematically for the preparation of a programme of events and exhibitions, in the context of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and the Olympic torch relay.

This afternoon, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni will develop the government’s policies on culture at Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies.