2019 Declared the "Türkiye-Russia Year of Culture and Tourism"...

With the agreement signed during President Erdoğan's visit to Russia, 2019 has been declared the "Türkiye-Russia Year of Culture and Tourism"...

Under the agreement, cultural activities such as conferences, exhibitions and concerts in the field of literature, as well as cinema, theater, opera and ballet, will be held in both countries throughout 2019.

With the agreement signed during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Russia, 2019 has been declared the "Türkiye-Russia Year of Culture and Tourism."

According to information obtained from Ministry of Culture and Tourism officials, Türkiye and Russia are entering a new era in cultural relations. With the agreement signed at the meeting of the Türkiye-Russian Federation High-Level Cooperation Council, held in Moscow under the chairmanship of President Erdoğan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, 2019 was declared a reciprocal Year of Culture and Tourism between the two countries.

Under the agreement signed by Minister of Culture and Tourism Nabi Avcı and Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky, cultural activities such as conferences, exhibitions and concerts in the field of literature, as well as cinema, theater, opera and ballet, will be held in both countries throughout 2019. In addition to traditional arts, exhibitions will be organized to enable the mutual recognition of the two countries' contemporary arts.

Turkish and Russian Television Channels to Cooperate

Prior to President Erdoğan's visit to Moscow, Minister of Culture and Tourism Nabi Avcı had received Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation, in İstanbul and discussed the details of the agreement. Ministry officials conveyed that, at the meeting, it was decided to carry out joint projects between Turkish and Russian television channels and to exchange programs.

It Will Add Value to Tourism

Russia, which ranks as the second country sending the most tourists to Türkiye after Germany, had imposed restrictions on tourists coming to Türkiye following the "plane crisis," and Türkiye tours and charter flights had been canceled.

Following the normalization of relations between the two countries, the first charter flight to Türkiye took place on September 2, 2016. While hopes for 2017 rise following the support provided by the government to the tourism sector, the new steps to be taken in cultural relations are expected to add value to tourism as well in the coming years.