DUSHANBE, April 11, Asia-Plus -- The fourth meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) council of culture ministers will b held in Dushanbe from April 23-26, according to the Ministry of Culture (MoC). 

The source at a MoC said that senior representatives from culture ministries of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will gather in Dushanbe to discuss preparations for the SCO Art Festival, which is scheduled to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in June on the sidelines of the Organization summit.  

According to him, Russian Culture and Communications Minister Aleksandr Sokolov, Kazakh Culture and Information Minister Yarmuhammed Yerpisbayev, Kyrgyz Culture and Information Minister Sultan Rayev are supposed to arrive in Tajikistan.  China and Uzbekistan will be represented by deputy culture ministers.   

Artistes from ten countries (six member nations and four nations having status of observer at the SCO) are supposed to participate in the festival in Bishkek.  Each country will be represented by 40 artistes.  In all, some 700 people will be involved in the SCO Art festival in Bishkek, the source said.   

The Dushanbe meeting will also discuss issues related state and prospects of further expansion of cultural expansion between the SCO states.