CULTURAL DIPLOMACY IN ACTION: ARTISTS FROM BULGARIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN MACEDONIA WITH A JOINT EXHIBITION IN SOFIA
The collective exhibition "Cultural Diplomacy - Balkan Dialogue" was opened at the Mission Gallery at the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Seven Bulgarian artists take part in it: Svetlin Rusev, Stanislav Pamukchiev, Ivaylo Mirchev, Lyuben Genov, Dimitar Cholakov, Milko Bozhkov and Roman Kisov, and seven artists from the Republic of North Macedonia: Vladimir Georgievski, Pavle Kuzmanoski, Dimitar Malidanov-Janeta Gelevano , Petar Popchev, Nikola Ivanov - Balton and Reshet Ameti. Curator of the exhibition is the collector from Skopje Klime Korobar, whose collection is on display, and the organizers are the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cultural Association "DOBREDOJDE" (Macedonia Welcome Center), Cultural Association IKON, the Bulgarian Cultural Information Center in Skopje and the Cultural and Information Center of the Republic of North Macedonia in Sofia. Media partner is the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.
The exhibition was opened by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasil Georgiev, who thanked the organizers and guests of RS Macedonia, saying that such projects in practice show how art and culture connect us and lead to a fruitful creative dialogue.
In her greeting to the guests, the director of The State Institute for Culture Mrs. Snezhana Yoveva noted the importance of such projects, which become a bridge between cultures and peoples, and even more that the event takes place on the eve and on the occasion of May 21 - World Cultural Day, Diversity for Dialogue and Development of UNESCO.
Mrs. Emilia Avramcheva, President of the Cultural Association "DOBREDOJDE" (Macedonia Welcome Center) - Skopje thanked for the excellent partnership with the Bulgarian Cultural Information Center in Skopje and other co-organizers and partners, as well as for the opportunity to work on creative exchange projects with Bulgarian institutions and to promote in this way contemporary artists from both countries in front of a wider audience. She expressed hope that it is through culture that unresolved issues can be resolved, because it is a soft power in diplomacy.
The Director of the Cultural and Information Center of the Republic of North Macedonia in Sofia, Mr. Sashko Nasev, project partner, addressed an exciting greeting to the guests and expressed satisfaction with the joint exhibition of artists in the "Common Balkan Dialogue". He also noted the presence of special guests - namely the artists from Bulgaria and R N Macedonia, who had come for the opening of the exhibition - Mrs. Janeta Gelevska-Velyanoska, an artist living in London and Roman Kisov.
The event was attended by diplomats, artists, collectors, gallery owners and guests: the temporary head of the Embassy of the Republic of North Macedonia in Sofia Vladimir Krastevski, Prof. Aksinia Djurova, curator and art critic, Mrs. Slava Ivanova, Executive Director of National Endowment Fund "13th Century Bulgaria", Ms. Tanya Kazandzhiva, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Milena Dimitrova, expert from the team of Vice President Iliana Yotova, Martina Stefanova, Art Manager and Partner of the state Insitute for Culture, fellow diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others.
The event is part of the annual program of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs "Balkan Dialogues", which attracts and promotes projects illustrating the Balkan dialogue in action in the field of fine arts, cinema, literature and more.
The exhibition can be viewed from May 18 to June 10 at the Mission Gallery.