Deputy Director of the Azerbaijan State Academic Russian Drama Theater, Honored Cultural Worker Ilham Mammadov and theater director Tural Vagifoglu have participated in the 14th International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova, Romania, Azernews reports.

"The International Shakespeare Festival traditionally brings together famous directors and directors of theater groups. We were invited to the festival as guests of honor. Azerbaijan is well known and highly valued abroad. Many with whom I spoke during the festival shared the impressions of their friends and friends who have already visited Azerbaijan and expressed a desire to see our country in person, get acquainted with our traditions and culture, everyone is waiting for an invitation to Baku," Ilham Mammadov said.

The deputy director of the Azerbaijan State Academic Russian Drama Theater emphasized that a detailed dialogue took place with the director of the Shakespeare Festival, Alexandru Boureanu, who is also the director of the National Theater named after Marin Sorescu.

"In March of this year, Alexandru Boureanu, as part of a working visit to the capital of Azerbaijan, visited our theater, got acquainted with its activities and invited the team to participate in the festival. During the festival, I had meetings with the director of the Shakespeare Institute, Professor Michael Dobson, theater directors Robert Wilson (USA), Robert Lepage (Canada), Russian theater scholar and critic Roman Dolzhansky, Portuguese actor, playwright, theater director, director of the Avignon Festival Thiago Rodriguez , as well as with the leaders of the Bucharest National University of Arts and the National Theater of Bucharest. We exchanged experience in the field of modern theater and discussed the possibilities of cooperation,” said the deputy director of the Azerbaijani theater, adding that he also had a meeting with the mayor of Craiova, Lia Olguca Vasilescu," he noted.

Ilham Mammadov mentioned that the participation of theater director Tural Vagifoglu in the festival was also useful, as it provided an opportunity to meet colleagues from other countries and exchange creative ideas.

As part of the visit, Ilham Mammadov and Tural Vagifoglu met with the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Romania Gudsi Osmanov. At the round table meeting, a discussion of cultural exchange between the two countries took place.

"I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, with whose assistance our visit was carried out. Participation in the festival opened up great opportunities for creative exchange, discussion of cultural initiatives and establishing connections with the heads of leading theaters in the world," Ilham Mammadov said.

Note that the International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova was founded in 1994. It is considered one of the most important thematic festivals in Europe and one of the most important Shakespeare festivals in the world.

The permanent organizers of the festival are the National Theater Craiova and the William Shakespeare Foundation. The festival includes musical concerts, seminars, conferences, master classes, round tables, creative meetings and discussions.