Possibilities for Intercultural Cooperation Development in Cultural Centres

Abstract

Intercultural cooperation is carried out within a country and between countries. The level of cooperation is strongly macro, meso and micro, depending on nature and capacity of the organisation. Intercultural cooperation is performed by various cultural and educational institutions. Cul tu ra l cen t re i s one of very few cu l tu ra l organisations, having few analogues in other countries, cher ishing, preserving and support ing ethnical culture and forming state image through intercultural cooperation. Thus, intercultural cooperation and communication in the activities of various cultural centres on the macro, meso and micro levels are a scientific issue examined in the article. The quantitative research, conducted in 8 cultural centres operating in the border areas of Lithuania, Belarus and the Kaliningrad Region (Russia), i.e. Kybartai, Pagėgiai, Svencionys, Lazdijai, Pelesa, Rimdžiūnai, Sovetskas and Gusev, helped to determine the intercultural levels of these cultural centres and their communities. Estimating different circumstances of the activity of Lithuanian cultural centres and cultural organisations operating in the Kaliningrad and Belarus border areas (Lithuanian cultural centres / Lithuanian communities), a comparative analysis revealed the key features of cooperation between the community and cultural centres / Lithuanian organisations. The study also analysed the patterns of intercultural cooperation.