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European Union Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Mikael Barford (left,’, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Maxine McClean (centre,’, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Charles Burnett speaking at the launch of the European Film Festival at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination. (A. Miller/BGIS)

Government has promised to work more closely with its European partners to develop areas of trade to boost the local cultural industries sector.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean, made this observation during a cocktail reception on Tuesday night to launch the European Film Festival at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, Cave Hill Campus.

The Minister said: "I want you to recognise that at the level of government-to-government, we have been working with our European partners…to work out mechanisms by which we can engage constructively in trade while we develop in this area."

She further stated: "The culture services sectors have been identified by Barbados and indeed by members of CARIFORUM…and we have identified ways in which to take advantage of this long-standing relationship in a global economic environment."

The Foreign Affairs Minister also urged those with an interest in film making to see the staging of the 5th European Film Festival as an avenue to learn more about the industry.

"…Those of you who are students or in any way associated with the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, you may find it as an opportunity to constructively critique and, therefore, learn a lot more about the business of film making," she added.

Meanwhile, European Union Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Mikael Barfod, said the festival would feature 24 films from 15 countries.

julie.carrington@barbados.gov.bb

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