Program of Co-operation between the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Culture of the Finnish Republic for the period 1999 - 2003

          
          The Slovak Republic /represented by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic/ and the Republic of Finland /hereinafter referred to as the Parties/, acting in accordance with the provisions of Article 5 of the Agreement between the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and the Government of the Republic of Finland on Co-operation in the Cultural, Scientific and Related Fields, signed in Helsinki on 12 October 1973, have agreed on the following Programme:

I. EDUCATION

Article 1

a/ The Parties will encourage co-operation in the fields of general, vocational and adult education.

b/ The Parties will encourage co-operation in the field of education of disabled children.

c/ The Parties will encourage co-operation in the field of art education.

d/ The Parties will exchange information and documentation on the structure, content and organisation of education. The exchange of this material will be carried out by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and by the Ministry of Education and the National Board of Education /Opetushallitus/ in Finland.

Article 2

The Parties shall reserve a total quota of 14 days for the exchanges in the field of education. The terms of the co-operation will be specified through direct consultations between the institutions concerned.

II. HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Article 3

The Parties will promote direct co-operation between the universities and other relevant educational institutions in their rexpective countries, as well as between institutions which deal with research and technological development. They also agreed to encourage joint research projects, in accordance, where appropriate, with agreements concluded directly between the institutions concerned.

Article 4

The Parties will promote co-operation of the Slovak and Finnish institutions of higher education in the education, trainig and research programmes of the European Union, in particular the SOCRATES, LEONARDO DA VINCI, TEMPUS and the 5th RTD Framework Programme.

Article 5

The Parties noted with satisfaction that the Slovak language is taught at the University of Jyväskylä and the Finnish language at the Comenius University in Bratislava.

The Parties will regularly supply the respective departments of Slovak and Finnish studies with appropriate literature to remain in their possession.

Article 6

The Finnish Party provides the Slovak Party with information about the polytechnics systém, a non-university sector within higher education /AMK, ammattikorkeakoulu/ in Finland.

Article 7

The Parties exchange inforrmation of their postgraduate study systems.

Article 8

The Parties exchange information about the developments of information society policies in their countries. The Parties noted that this area offers possibilities for co-operation.

Article 9

The Parties will promote the exchange of scientific literature. They noted with satisfaction that the Finnish Centre for the Exchange of Scientific Literature /Tieteellisen kirjallisuuden vaihtokeskus/ maintains contacts with over 30 institutions in the Slovak Republic.

The contracting parties will promote direct co-operation between architect associations in both countries and will also exchange information, publications and exhibitions in the field of architecture and urban planning.

III. SCHOLARSHIPS

Article 10

A brief description of the scholarships, which the Parties will offer to each other, is given in Appendix 1.

The Parties will annually inform each other of the general and financial provisions of the scholarship exchange through diplomatic or other suitable channels.

For the Slovak Party, the administration of scholarships and exchanges specified in Appendix 1, will be carried out by the Ministry of Education and by the Ministry of Culture.

In Finland, the Centre for International Mobility CIMO /Kansainvälisen henkilo vaihdon keskus CIMO/ is in charge of the administration of the scholarships and exchanges.

IV. YOUTH AND SPORTS

Article 11

The Parties agreed to promote better knowledge concerning youth through the exchange of information and other documentation on each country´,s youth policies. They also expressed their interest in encouraging co-operation between institutions and organisations.

Article 12

The Parties will encourage the development of the relations and exchanges between the organisations and other institutions in the field of physical education and sports. Such activities as well as financial conditions will be agreed directly between the institutions concerned.

V: CULTURE

Article 13

The Parties will eoncourage direct contacts between their institutions in the fields of arts and culture. To promote this, the Parties will exchange information on various aspects of cultural policies, management and new tendencies in cultural policies.

Article 14

The Parties will promote the participation of their representatives in festivals, international meetings, seminars and other cultural events in the two countries. The Parties will inform each other in due time about the conditions of participation, terms and programmes of such cultural events.

Article 15

The Slovak Party is interested in arranging guest performances of marionette theatres and sending small independent theatres to Finland and is ready to receive Finnish observes to the Theatre Festival in Nitra, the Scenic Harvest (Scénická žatva ) and the Golden Spinner ( Zlatá priadka ).

The Finnish Party informed the Slovak Party about the organisation Finland Festivals and the about 60 festivals heldd annually under the auspices of this organisation. Information on Finland Festivals is also available through the Internet address http://www.festivals.fi.

Article 16

The Parties will encourage direct contacts in the field of music. The exchange will be based on direct agreements between the organisations and artists concerned.

The Slovak Party is willing to host artists from Finland at the Bratislava Music Festival, Melos Etos International Festival of Contemporary Music, Bratislava Jazz Days and Central European Festival of Concert Art in Žilina.

The Slovak Party is also ready to receive observes from Finland at chorus festivals such as Grand Prix Slovakia, Vranov Chorus Festival /Vranovské zborové slávnosti/ Trnava Chorus Days /Trnavské zborové dni/ Námestovo Music Festival, /Námestovské hudobné slvnosti/ and Academic Banská Bystrica /Akademická Banská Bystrica/.

The Finnish Party is ready to receive observers to the events mentioned in the publication “Finland Festivals”. The Parties will provide each other with their calendars of cultural events.

Article 17

The Parties discussed the possibilities of exchanging exhibitions. The arrangements shall be agreed upon on a case by case basis by the institutions concerned.

The Slovak Party would be interested in sending e.g. one of the following exhibitions to Finland:

- Contemporary Slovak Graphic Art

- Slovak Art Poster

- Slovak Architecture .

The Finnish Party would be interested in sending e.g. one of the following exhibitions to the Slovak Republic :

- Young Architects from Finland /by the Museum of Finnish Architecture/

- Alvar Aato – Urban Visions /by the Museum of Finnish Asrchitecture/

- Finnish handicraft /by Virkki Handicraft Museum /

Article 18

The Parties will encourage direct d-operation between the associations of architects in both countries as well as the exchanges of information, publication and exhibitions in the field of architecture.

Article 19

The Parties will inform each other about their national legislation and measures for the protection of cultural heritage, mainly those preventing illegal exports according to the UNESCO Convention on means for banning and restricting the illegal import, export and transfer of the ownership of cultural heritage adopted on 14 November 1970 at the XVI meeting of the UNESCO General Assembly in Paris.

Article 20

The Parties will inform each other of symposia, colloquia and conferences in the filed of museology and cultural heritage, and they will receive specialists in the framework of the scholarship programme described in Appendix l.

Article 21

The Parties will encourage co-operation between the Slovak and Finnish museums and galeries. The forms and the extent of cooperation will be decided directly by the institutions concerned.

Article 22

The Parties will promote the knowledge of literature of each other´s country and encourage the translation of their literary works.

The Finnish Party informed the Slovak Party about the grants for translators of Finnish literature into foreign languages offered by the Finnish Literature Information Centre /Suomen kirjallisuuden tiedotuskeskus/.

The Finnish Party informed the Slovak Party of the 150 th anniversary of the Finnish National Epic Kalevala /The New Kalevala/ in 1999.

Article 23

The Parties will encourage co-operation between the national and institutional libraries of both countries, which for the Slovak Party are the University Library in Bratislava, Slovak Library Association and the Association of Slovak Librarians. The Parties will promote contacts between library organisations within framework of international organisations, such as the International Federation of Library Associations /IFLA/.

Article 24

The Parties agreed to exchange information and documentation on important current events in the field of film festivals and film archives.

The Parties will encourage the visits of cinema, audio-visuall and multimedia experts of other country.

The Slovak Party gave information about the following festivals: Biennal of Animation, Bratislava Forum for Young Film, Art Film International Film Festival in Trenčianske Teplice and some others.

The Finnish Party gave information about the following festivals: Helsinki Film Festival, Tampere Film Festival and some others.

Article 25

The Parties wellcomed direct co-operation in the mass media area. The form and substance of cooperation shall be agreed upon directly between the organisations concerned.

Article 26

The Slovak Party expressed their wish of direct co-operation between the institutions in the field of astronomy and astronomic culture and education /Slovak Central Observatory/.

VI. FINAL PROVISIONS

The General and Financial Provisions are included in Appendix l, which forms an integral part of this Programme. The list of the members of both delegations follows in Appendix 2.

The Programme shall enter into force on the day of signing and remain in force until a new Programme is approved.

The date of the next meeting between the two Parties shall be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.

This Programme can be amended on the basis of a mutual agreement of the Parties. The amendments shall be in a written form.

Done and signed in Bratislava on the May 6, 1999, in two original copies in the English language.

Appendix 1

GENERAL AND FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

The following general provisions were agreed:

General terms

/a/ The activities and exchanges envisaged in this Programme shall be carried our within the limits of the financial means at the disposal of the two Parties:

/b/ The activities and exchanges envisaged in this Programme shall not exclude other initiatives or visits which might be proposed and agreed in advance by both Parties,

/c/ The organisation of music, dance and theatre performances should be based in principle on a direct agreement covering financial and other terms between the organisations and artists involved in such events. State subsidies should be considered as supplementary.

I. SCHOLARSHIPS

1. FINNISH SCHOLARSHIPS

The Centre for International Mobility CIMO /Kansainvälisen henkilôvaihdon keskus/ operates on the basis of bilateral cultural agreements, Finnish government scholarship programmes aimed at promoting international university level co-operation in education and research. CIMO will annually inform the Slovak authorities about the quora, financial terms, application period etc.

The quota to be reserved for Slovak post graduate students and researchers as well as students in the Finnish language amounts to 12 months annually. The study and research scholarships may vary from 30 to 9 month in length. In addition, a few short visits /not exceeding 10 days each/ are reserved to Finnish cultural institutions and institutions of higher education, minimum 30 days for each area. However, this quora is considered annually and it may, if needed, be exceeded.

Candidates for these scholarships are nominated by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Slovak Republic and the final approval of the recipients is made by CIMO.

Prior to application, the candidates should have established a contact with the Finnish host, since no scholarship can be granted without invitation /admission by the host institute. When granting the scholarships, special emphasis is laid on active participation and interaction with research and / or teaching at the educational institution of the host country.

Scholarships

The scholarship period is usually 3 – 9 month and the grant is intended to cover the living expenses in Finland for a single person. In 1999 the monthly scholarship is 4 100 FIM. Upon arrival of the scholarship holder a lump sum of 500 FIM or 1000 FIM is paid for study /research period of one term or whole academic year, respectively.

Short visits

A visitor scholarship up to 10 days consists of free accommodation in a guest room or hotel and a daily allowance, the amount of which is determined annually /154 FIM in 1999/.

Travel

Expenses due to international travel to or from Finland are not covered by CIMO. The scholarship recipient will pay his / her local transportation /at place of study /research/. CIMO will cover travel costs in Finland related to the visit / study grants approved by CIMO.

CIMO may also grant travel allowances for Finns who receive a scholarship from the Slovak authorities on the basis of the bilateral exchange.

Insurance

Students paying the student union fee of a Finnish University are entitled to benefit the student health services. Other recipients of scholarships are recommended to make arrangements for insurance coverage for their stay in Finland.

Summer language courses

The Finnish Party will annually offer two /2/ scholarships in the length of 3 – 4 weekes each to Slovak students of Finnish language, to participate in the international summer courses on Finnish language and culture in Finland. The Statement of the teacher of Finnish language should be taken into account when candidates are nominated. The summer courses are organised in Finland by the Council for Finnish Studies at Universities abroad /UKAN/, which as of January 1, 1998, is part of the Centre for International Mobility CIMO.

2. SLOVAK SCHOLARSHIPS

The Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic:

a/ The Slovak Party shall provide 12 scholarship months a year for the Finnish graduate students, postgraduate students and university teachers, whereby the students studying the Slovak language shall have the priority. The length of the scholarship stays shall be from 3 – 9 months.

b/ The Slovak Party shall provide a couple of short term stays of a total length of 30 days a year, whereby none of the stays – the exchanges of specialists from Finland in the sector of education and science shall exceed 10 days.

Scholarships

The Slovak Party shall provide following for the stays the length of which exceeds 30 days /long-term stays/:

a/ monthly scholarship in the amount of :

3 500 SKK for the students

4 000 SKK for postgraduate students, university teachers and the scientists and specialists in the field of education.

The accommodation and board shall be provided by the host institution in a students‘ dormitory on the costs of the participnat under the same conditions which apply to domestic students.

B/ studies free of charge

Short visits

The Slovak Party shall provide following for the stays of experts, the length of which does not exceed 30 days /short-term stays/:

Costs covering the board and pocket money in the amount of 618 SKK per each day and a suitable and reasonable accommodation free of charge in a studentsˇdormitory or a housing similar to a hotel.

Travel

The Slovak Party shall cover the costs of the travel to the first site of study in Finland and from the last site of the stay back to the Slovak Republic to those citizens of the Slovak Republic who receive the scholarship from the Finnish Party on the basis of the bilateral exchange.

The Slovak Party shall cover the inland costs in the Slovak Republic to the persons from Finland in the framework of the study programme, whereby the programme shall be agreed by the host Party.

Insurance

The Finnish students who receive the scholarship must cover the costs for their own health insurance during their whole stay in the Slovak Republic.

Summer language courses

The Slovak Party shall provide three /3/ scholarships in the length of three /3/ weeks for Finnish students of the Slovak language to participate in the summer course of the Slovak language and culture organised by the Studia Academica Slovaca /SAS/.

The Finnish candidates shall be proposed by CIMO.

In the process of nomination of the candidates the references of relevant language teachers shall be taken into account.

The Slovak Party shall provide the Finnish participants and cover the costs of their full board, suitable and reasonable accommodation, pocket money and excursions in the framework of the programme of the Summer seminar as well as it shall cover the commission for the course.

Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic

The Slovak Party will exchange experts and representatives in the fields of art and culture. The aim of these visits is to exchange knowledge and expand co-operation in the field of culture. This annual exchange will cover totally thirty /30/ days and it will involve three /3/ - six /6/ persons for a duration of five /5/ to ten /10/ days each. However, this quora is considered annually and it may, when needed, be exceeded.

For short visits to Slovakia, the host Party will provide accommodation, board and pocket money /or daily allowance/ in accordance with local standards, transport in Slovakia according to the programme of stay, as well as interpreting and guide services.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

The sending Party will submit to the host Party list of persons suggested for visits and scholarships by the 1 st March of each year, enclosing two copies of application form filled out by the candidate and one photo. In their application form the candidates will state their personal data, knowledte of language of the host country of English or German language and estimated date of arrival and, if possible, full details of the study programme including the names of the host institutions and persons.

Candidates for long term scholarship should not be older than 35 years of age.

The Parties will receive the persons suggested according to the provisions of this programme during the academic year, which lasts in the Slovak Republic from September 1 to June 30 and in Finland from September 9 to May 20. In substantiated cases, if required by character of the study, participation in summer courses etc., the Parties will deviate from performing of this regulation.

The host Party will confirm the acceptance of the candidates within 3 months after the receipt of the application forms by providing the sending Party with a list including the names of those accepted and unaccepted, length of their stay and excepted date of arrival. The sending Party will confirm the exact date of arrival not later than 2 weeks before the departure of the candidates.

II. EXCHANGE OF EXHIBITIONS

Agreement will be discussed and agreed upon on a case-by-case basis and in general the following provisions will apply:

Responsibilities of the sending Party:

Detailed proposals for exhibitions, including all technical data should be submitted preferably not laterthan twelve /12/ months prior to the planned opening of the exhibition.

International transportation to its first destination in the receiving country and the international transport from its last location to the country of origin or to anouther country.

Insurance from door to door, nail to nail, transport included.

The material for the issue of a catalogue in the language of the receiving country , English or German /text, photos, transparencies etc./ will be submitted 6 /six/ months prior to the opening of the exhibition.

Travel expenses for one /1/ commissioner accompanying the exhibition to supervise the mounting and/or dismantling as well as packing and/or unpacking of the exhibits.

Responsibilities of the Receiving Party:

Providing appropriate exhibition premises with the necessary security infrastructure /climatic conditions, guards, etc./

Providing the necessary staff for loading and unloading, packing and unpacking, mouting and dismantling of the exhibition.

Printing a cataloque, if necessary, and posters and invitations.

Organising general publicity as well as the opening ceremony for the exhibition.

Accommodation expenses for an expert accompanying the exhibition and supervising the mounting and/or dismantling the duration of any such visit will be agreed in advance.

Providing the courty of origin with copies of all material published in connection with the exhibition /cataloque, posters, inivitations, reviews etc./.

In case of damage, the receiving Party will not proceed with the restoration of the works without the prior approval of the sending Party, and will supply all relevant documentation and assistance to enable the sending organisation to pursue any claim for compensation from the relevant insurance company.

LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATIONS

Finnish Delegation

H.E.Mr. Pekka Harttila, Ambassador, Deputy Director General for Press and Cultural Affairs, Ministry For Foreign Affairs, Head of the Delegation
Mr. Roope Jussila, Councellor, Embassy of the Republic of Finland to the Czech Republic
Ms. Hannele Ahti, Head of the Scholarship Unit, CIMO
Ms. Seija Astala, Secretary for Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Education

Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic:

Mr. Štefan Cimbák, General Director of the International Co-operation Department,
Head of the Delegation,
Mr.Peter Plavčan, Director of the Higher Education Department
Ms.Edita Váradiová, desk officer of the International Co-operation Department

Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic:

Ms.Jolana Marešová, Director of the International Relations Department,
Head of the Delegation
Ms.Ľubica Blašková, desk officer of the International Relations Department

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic :

Ms.Aurelia Pobežalová, desk officer of the Cultural Relations Department
Ms. Monika Biela, desk officer of the International Law Department

Interpreter:

Ms.Desanka Režuchová