The meeting of the interdepartmental commission addressing the topic of Modern Cultural Policy and Developing Creative Initiatives on November 17 was chaired by Council for Culture and Art Secretary and Presidential Aide Vladimir Tolstoy. The meeting addressed preparation of draft projects and suggestions allowing for the development of the Basics of the State Cultural Policy.
Following a joint meeting of the State Council and the Council for Culture and Art, held on December 24, 2014, the President had instructed the Cabinet to prepare a draft state cultural policy strategy, develop suggestions on bringing legislation in line with the goals and objectives of state cultural policy, develop issues of improving the system for managing state cultural policy and creating the Russian Cultural Development Fund.
Having analysed the progress in fulfilling the instructions and the preliminary results of the work for the last ten months, participants in the discussion expressed regret with regard to the lack of concrete measures and suggestions to implement the Basics of the State Cultural Policy approved by the Presidential Executive Order of December 24, 2014. Suggestions were made on doing further work, including on the draft state cultural policy strategy, which should reflect the principles, mechanisms and methods for resolving challenges articulated in the Basics of the State Cultural Policy.
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It was recommended that the Council for Culture and Art should analyse and present to the President possible options for implementing the Basics of the State Cultural Policy and fulfilling the instructions following the joint meeting of the State Council and Council for Culture and Art.
On November 19, the meeting of the interdepartmental commission for Preserving, Using and Promoting Historical and Cultural Heritage, Developing Cultural and Educational Tourism was held and it was chaired by National Sholokhov Museum-Reserve Director Alexander Sholokhov and Council Secretary Vladimir Tolstoy. The meeting addressed current issues in preserving wooden architecture, as well as measures to prevent violations in areas of protection of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia in the context of fulfilling corresponding Presidential instructions.
While noting the significance of national wooden architectural sites, the meeting participants assessed their state as being close to catastrophic. According to the meeting, unless immediate measures are taken, this part of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia might be completely lost in the next few decades.
In discussing the problems related to the development of projects to create cultural heritage protection areas, compliance with the economic activity regimes introduced in such areas, and prevention of unlawful construction there, the meeting participants admitted that so far, no noticeable progress has been achieved in resolving these problems. They noted the need to seriously improve law enforcement practice, adopt the necessary regulatory and guidance documents for municipal and regional law enforcement agencies, and further improve legislation governing the protection of cultural heritage and related areas of activity.
The recommendations adopted following the meetings of interdepartmental commissions will form the basis for discussions at the next session of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art.