Minister of Culture Raluca Turcan said on Saturday that for ten days, Sibiu is the world cultural capital, thanks to the International Theatre Festival ((FITS)), which began the day before and will end on July 2, write Agerpres.

„The accomplishment of Mr Constantin Chiriac [president of FITS and managing director of Sibiu Radu Stanca National Theatre], the accomplishment of the International Theatre Festival in Sibiu practically compel the authorities to be close and I thank you from the bottom of my heart because, every year, for ten days, the world cultural capital is in Romania, it is here in Sibiu,” minister Raluca Turcan told a press conference.

On Saturday, she awarded the FITS president, actor Constantin Chiriac, a distinction of excellence on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, in the presence of former minister Lucian Romascanu, the one who initiated the steps for this distinction since the beginning of the year.

„Constantin Chiriac is a true ambassador of Romanian culture. (…) And I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that the Sibiu International Theatre Festival is currently one of the most relevant theatre festivals in the world, and Sibiu, through the International Theatre Festival, is one of the most attractive European cities, cities that manage to develop through culture. (…) That is why this day is a day of dialogue, of acknowledgement, as is the entire Sibiu International Theatre Festival. At the beginning of this year, Minister of Culture Lucian Romascanu initiated steps to offer Mr. Constantin Chiriac a distinction of excellence on behalf the Ministry of Culture, a distinction of excellence which, in fact, records through a trophy and a diploma all our positive feelings and all the appreciation we have for the work of Mr. Constantin Chiriac, for his accomplishment, for his vision, for his ability to open up culture to the people and for the role he has played in consolidating an emblematic reputation for the city of Sibiu and for an increasingly better education for our country,” said Raluca Turcan.

The Culture minister assured Constantin Chiriac, president of FITS and managing director of the Sibiu Radu Stanca National Theatre, that „the Ministry of Culture is a long term partner of FITS”.

Raluca Turcan and Lucian Romascanu’s presence, on Saturday, at the press conference, marks a first for the last 30 years of FITS.

AGERPRES National News Agency is one of the media partners of FITS and presents, at this year’s edition, the exhibition „Miracle of Love”, a selection of emblematic photographs from the last years of the festival.