Lithuania, in partnership with Ukraine, takes over the EUNIC presidency in Azerbaijan
On May 7, 2025, Latvia formally handed over the presidency of the EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture) in Azerbaijan to Lithuania, which will preside in close partnership with Ukraine.
The diplomatic missions or cultural institutes of the EU Member States and associated countries join their forces in different countries across the world to promote cultural relations as a driver of international cooperation, multilateralism, and dialogue.
Ambassador of Latvia in Azerbaijan Edgars Skuja handed over the EUNIC presidency to Ambassador of Lithuania Kęstutis Vaškelevičius and Ambassador of Ukraine Yuriy Husyev. The partnership on the Ukrainian side will be implemented by both the Ukrainian Embassy and the Ukrainian Center in Baku.
After thanking Latvian Ambassador Skuja and his team for an active EUNIC presidency in the last 2,5 years, the Embassies of Lithuania and Ukraine in their joint statement committed to „work together to enhance the European culture and the cultural presence of the European Union in Azerbaijan, to strive to implement innovative programs that reflect the cultural diversity of Europe, and expand opportunities for collaboration between European and Azerbaijani artists, institutions, and the broader public.“
Ambassadors Husyev and Vaškelevičius invited partners to engage actively with EUNIC in Azerbaijan and expressed their wish to implement joint projects that would contribute to the development of cultural dialogue between the European Union and its candidate countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
EUNIC is a network of national cultural institutes of the European Union Member States that fosters intercultural dialogue, strengthens cultural ties, and promotes European values through joint projects and initiatives.
The EUNIC Cluster in Azerbaijan was established in 2020. The Embassies of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain are EUNIC Cluster in Azerbaijan members, and the British Council is the Associate Member. The EU Delegation to Azerbaijan is the strategic Partner of the EUNIC Cluster in Azerbaijan. Georgian and Moldovan Embassies are Associate Members, and the Ukrainian Embassy is an official Partner, as the Ukrainian Institute is already an Associate Member at the Global level of EUNIC.
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