On Thursday, 15 October 2026, the ninth lecture in the Culturelink Guest Lecture Series was held at the library of the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO). Assist. Prof. Nataša Kraljević from the Mediterranean University in Podgorica delivered a lecture entitled “Culture Between Institutions and the International Arena: The Potential of Montenegro’s Cultural Diplomacy.”
The lecture focused on the current state, challenges, and development potential of cultural diplomacy in Montenegro, with particular emphasis on its relationship with public cultural policy and international cultural cooperation. Dr Kraljević highlighted the insufficient institutionalisation of cultural diplomacy, the lack of a strategic approach and appropriate coordination mechanisms, and the need for its stronger integration into public diplomacy.
Dr Kraljević also presented the findings of a focus group study involving cultural managers, artists, representatives of cultural institutions, and members of the academic community in Montenegro. The findings revealed insufficient coordination between cultural institutions and diplomatic structures, limited institutional and financial support for artists’ international activities, and the need for greater involvement of independent cultural actors in shaping cultural diplomacy.
The lecture was followed by a discussion addressing the development of cultural diplomacy in the countries of the region, power relations between large and small states in international cultural relations, and the role of regional identity in shaping cultural diplomacy.
The guest lecture was organised within the framework of the CULTMED project and the cooperation between IRMO’s Department for Culture and Communication and the Institute for Science, Culture and Art (ISCA) at Mediterranean University, formalised through a Cooperation Agreement signed in May 2026.
