Vitebsk region and the Netherlands intend to strengthen economic and cultural ties
Our regional center became the first regional city visited by an official representative of this state in Western Europe as head of a diplomatic mission. "Why was Vitebsk prioritized?" journalists asked.
– Firstly, the priority is the development of cooperation between the regions of the two countries. Secondly, Vitebsk and the Netherlands are connected by the names of the famous sculptor Ossip Zadkine (a monument "Destroyed City" is erected in Rotterdam, and works by Zadkine are in Zundert – to the Van Gogh brothers. – Ed. note), Lazar Lissitzky (in Eindhoven, the Van Abbe Museum houses the largest collection of the artist outside Russia, and there are no works in Belarus. – Ed. note) and, of course, the love for the art of Marc Chagall, – explained Henricus Johannes van Oosterhout.
On the first day, the official guest visited the Marc Chagall Museum and Art Center, and the second day began with a business meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Vladimir Penin, representatives of the Committee for Economy and the Department of Culture.
The emphasis in the conversation was placed on the development of economic cooperation, which, as Vladimir Penin noted, is not yet yielding satisfactory results. Over the past year, the trade turnover between the Vitebsk region and the Netherlands has decreased and amounted to slightly more than 92 million dollars, of which the largest share is occupied by exports of petroleum products, as well as linen fabrics, optical instruments, electrical equipment, and woodworking products.
The basis of imports from the Netherlands includes fruits, vegetables, flowers, vegetable seeds, medicines, cocoa powder and butter, and equipment for meat and poultry processing. Two enterprises with Dutch capital, "Modern-Expo" and "Modern-Trading," which produce high-tech trading equipment, operate within the "Vitebsk" free economic zone.
Both sides expressed their desire to expand business ties in all areas of socio-economic development. Summarizing the meeting, Konstantin Chyorny, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Economics Committee, noted that there is currently little information about the investment opportunities of the Vitebsk region in the Netherlands. Therefore, through the embassy representatives, foreign companies were invited to participate in the international economic forum, which will be held in our regional center in May.
– We tried to explain the prospects for cooperation development in innovative sectors such as electronics, mechanical engineering, agriculture, petrochemicals, and woodworking. All of them are very important for the Vitebsk region, – said Konstantin Chyorny.
Cultural projects were also discussed. In particular, at the Museum of the History of the Vitebsk People's Art School, the head of the diplomatic mission was asked to help organize an exhibition of Lazar Lisitsky, a student of Yury Pen, an associate of Kazimir Malevich, and one of the teachers of the Vitebsk People's Art School, from the collection of the museum in Eindhoven.
Henricus Johannes van Oosterhout also met with the leadership of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, walked around the city, and took, according to him, many beautiful pictures.