Signing Ceremony of Memorandum
On Cultural Cooperation between the State Hermitage, the Campus of Management School Vlerick Leuven Gent, St Petersburg and the International Festival Early Music

19 October, 2010 signing of the memorandum on agreement regarding the issue of cooperation between the State Hermitage, the Campus of Management School Vlerick Leuven Gent, St Petersburg and the International Festival Early Music was held in the State Hermitage.

Taking into consideration mutual desire of the parties to develop cultural asset of St Petersburg and Flanders for the purpose of strengthening of bilateral economic and cultural relations, as well as considering the desire to arrange several actions in St Petersburg and Flanders and thus to create the ground for cooperation development between St Petersburg and Flanders in the artistic, political and economic spheres, the state Hermitage expresses its readiness to cooperate with Flemish colleagues in order to prepare collective exhibitions of the works of art of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg in the State Hermitage and museums of Flanders.

The short-term plans of the Festival are to arrange 3 concerts, as well as cooperation in the issues of different events arrangement for the purpose of strengthening of cultural and economic presence of Flanders and management School Vlerick Leuven Gent in St Petersburg.

As long as sufficient financing is provided the School will strive to support annual arrangement of 3 events in Flanders to gather together leaders in the sphere of culture, politics and business. When holding these events Collection will be introduced, as well as cooperation between the Russian and Flemish musicians and composers. Moreover, the School will apply its best efforts to find ways for cooperation in the sphere of managerial education, in particular, by supporting of first-time entrepreneurs in Russia.

The Memorandum on Agreement was signed by representatives of the Parties in the State Hermitage in the presence of Mr. Kris Peeters, Minister-President of Flemish Government:

Mr. Louis Verbeke, Management School Vlerick Leuven Gent,
Mikhail Piotrovsky, the State Hermitage Museum,
Andrey Reshetin, Festival Early Music.

Mikhail Piotrovsky, State Hermitage Museum, Kris Peeters, Minister-President of Flemish Government, and Andrey Reshetin, Festival Early Music

At the Signing Ceremony of Memorandum

Mikhail Piotrovsky shows the Museum to the honoured guests. Left: Louis Verbeke, Chairman Management School Vlerick Leuven Gent

Kris Peeters signs in the book of honorable guests