Montenegro will host the Ministerial Forum on the Creative Economy in Herceg Novi on 17–18 June. The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Media as part of Montenegro’s Chairmanship of the Berlin Process, in cooperation with the British Council.
Through its Chairmanship of the Berlin Process, Montenegro reaffirms its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, advancing the European perspective of the Western Balkans, and implementing joint initiatives that contribute to sustainable development, connectivity, and greater regional competitiveness.
“By hosting the Ministerial Forum on the Creative Economy, Montenegro confirms that it sees culture not only as the foundation of identity and heritage, but also as a powerful driver of development, a source of new jobs, innovation, and opportunities to connect young people across the region,” said Minister of Culture and Media Dr Tamara Vujović.
According to her, the Forum will send a message from Herceg Novi that the creative economy can serve as one of the key bridges between the Western Balkans and the European Union through cooperation, knowledge, digital skills, and the joint valorization of the region’s considerable cultural potential.
“The Forum is being organized as a continuation of activities launched during the United Kingdom’s Chairmanship of the Berlin Process, when the Creative Economy Forum was held in Kotor in May 2025 and the Joint Declaration was adopted, recognizing the creative economy as an important component of the region’s economic and European future,” Vujović stated.
The Ministerial Forum will bring together ministers responsible for culture, representatives of the Western Balkan countries, and participants from Berlin Process member states, with the aim of highlighting the importance of the creative economy as a driver of sustainable development, promoting cultural heritage and its reinterpretation in the context of economic valorization, and affirming cultural diversity as a factor of social cohesion.
The central part of the Forum will focus on discussions about youth employment, particularly addressing challenges related to the lack of digital skills, as well as the economic potential of the “experience economy,” which encompasses cultural tourism, festivals, gastronomy, and related sectors.
The ministerial meeting will be preceded by the work of two working groups, which will focus on research and data analysis related to the experience economy in the Western Balkans, with particular emphasis on tourism, film, festivals, gaming, and animation.
The Ministry of Culture and Media stated that the working groups will also examine issues related to skills access, workforce development, and the connection between education systems and employment opportunities within the creative economy sector.
The outcome of the working groups’ work will be the formulation of conclusions to be adopted at the ministerial meeting.
The Forum in Herceg Novi will provide an opportunity for countries in the region to further promote the creative economy, through joint dialogue, as one of the key pathways toward sustainable development, European integration, and stronger cultural cooperation in the Western Balkans.