Culture
In the cultural field, the Department has been operatively cooperating with the majority of Czech diplomatic missions abroad in the preparation of various cultural events. It draws annual plans offering individual diplomatic missions cultural events like touring exhibitions and film shows. The missions make their own choice of events and the Department then ensures the organization, scenario, production and supply on the spot. The Department also helps the diplomatic missions with the organization of events they sponsor themselves or in cooperation with local organizers. Besides the Department commands and sends to the diplomatic missions Czech films to be shown within film festivals and other events organized abroad. Falling within the responsibilities of the Department is the agenda of cultural agreements, i.e. bilateral agreements on cooperation in the field of culture, education and science. A number of cultural events are now organized also in the exhibition and concert halls of Tuscany Palace in Prague belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Czech Centres, an organisation part-funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, operate 24 centres located in the world’s major capitals across 21 countries and 3 continents. The Czech Centres’ mission is to promote the Czech Republic’s culture, education, tourism and trade.
The export-oriented activities of the network of 24 Czech Centres abroad (hereinafter also "CC") and the Czech Centres Headquarters (hereinafter also "CCH") involve:
- free-of-charge information provision to Czech companies - business and export opportunities
- promotion of Czech companies abroad – support of presentations, professional seminars
Extensive support is offered to Czech companies in Russia. The Czech House Moscow, a part of the Czech Centres network, offers a vast range of services such as provision of premises (rooms, apartments, offices, parking), catering services and information support through its Business Centre. During 2008 more than one hundred accredited Czech companies made use of the services offered by the Czech House Moscow.
Czech Centres operate in close partnership with CzechTrade, the main promoter of international trade and cooperation between Czech and foreign companies, as well as CzechInvest and CzechTourism. The MFA initiated cooperation between the above-mentioned institutions with the aim to eliminate duplicity and make better use office and exhibition space abroad. The Agreement on the Cooperation of CzechTrade with the CCH, signed at the end of 2000, effectively complements the 1999 agreement between the MFA and MIT on the coordination of the activities of contributory organisations.
More information www.czechcentres.cz.