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Cementing cultural ties with Kolkata
A protocol of co-operation on heritage issues was signed today between the Scottish Government and the Government of West Bengal, at the same time as an exchange programme for film students was announced.
Scotland's Culture Minister Michael Russell and the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of the Government of West Bengal Dr Subesh Das today signed the agreement that sees both administrations recognising both the deep historical links between Scotland and Kolkata, and the need to maintain those links and the shared cultural and built heritage that exist as a result.
Today's agreement will result in development of a programme of co-operation and collaboration between Scotland's national collections and heritage bodies, and the equivalent West Bengali organisations. It is intended that through such partnerships, the built heritage that is evidence of our links can be conserved and made accessible to Scots and Bengalis alike. As part of that process, a transfer of knowledge and expertise in areas like conservation, curation, digital archiving and laser imaging can be shared between organisations.
The Scottish Government's Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution Michael Russell said:
"Strong links between Scotland and Kolkata go back over many years and endure to this day. The bustling city of Kolkata is littered with evidence of Scottish settlement and Scottish influence, and a healthy Bengali population in Scotland is proof that the relationship is very much two-way.
"This agreement we have signed today is about saying that we both recognise these links, value them, and want to do everything we can to make sure that our children and grandchildren have access to the story of that relationship.
"Our shared history is demonstrated so explicitly in Kolkata's built heritage, so one of the most important areas of collaboration and co-operation I see emerging out of this memorandum of understanding is a coming-together of heritage bodies in Scotland and Bengal that will result in effective conservation and interpretation in a genuine two-way transfer of knowledge and technical skills.
"One example I will personally be taking forward is inclusion of a West Bengal site in our 'Scottish Ten' project. That project is using Historic Scotland's cutting-edge 3D laser scanning technology to record perfect images of the five Scottish World Heritage Sites, and we are identifying a further five sites worldwide to be scanned. At the same time we will be passing on the skills and expertise required to allow others to benefit from our early progress with this technology.
"Of course, there are also many and varied cultural links between Scotland and Kolkata, so as we make this commitment on heritage I am also announcing Scottish Government support of £10,000 to allow Screen Academy Scotland to pair up with the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. This award will allow students from each institution to spend time at the other learning about film-making techniques in the other country. I look forward to seeing the fruits of this partnership and I hope that the exchange will see long-lasting partnerships that continue to celebrate Kolkata-Scotland links for many years to come."
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