On December 14-15 Sarajevo hosted directors, editors and journalists from public services in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro and media and cultural experts from these countries. In a two-day conference organized by Media Plan and Media Initiatives, participants discussed the topic Cultural Policies and Opportunities for Greater Cooperation among Public Broadcasting Services in the Region.

The conference, whose aim was initiating dialogue among public broadcasting services and employees in the cultural field in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and B-H, had concrete results – the participants, following the organizers’ recommendation and initiative, on a bilateral basis arranged numerous forms of cooperation among their media companies and summarized all conclusions from a very constructive discussion in one document – a joint statement on needs and willingness for future cooperation – which will be sent to managements of public services in the region, institutions responsible for culture, as well as relevant organizations involved in media education and professionalization.

The conference is the first of a number of activities that Media Plan Institute and Media Initiatives will organize on the occasion of the forthcoming year 2008, declared by the European Commission “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.” Our organization will adjust its activities in the course of next year, in the framework of the project Diversity Dialogue, to culture, its aspects and its importance for media cooperation and heavier cooperation within B-H and its immediate neighborhood.

Attached is the full statement.