International Student Festival “Harlekin” opens in Tbilisi

Rustaveli, Georgia: The Ministry of Culture supported the opening of the International Student Festival of Theatrical Etiquettes “Harlekin” at the Shota Rustaveli State University of Theater and Cinema of Georgia. 

A formal reception was held at the Palace of Arts for guests invited to the festival. During this reception, the rectors of seven of the highest theatre schools from seven countries signed a memorandum of cooperation. 

The event was attended by Minister of Culture and Sports Thea Tsulukiani, Rector of the State University of Theater and Cinema Giorgi Shalutashvili, rectors, directors and representatives of the theatrical sphere of the world’s highest theatre schools.

At the event, the rectors of theatre schools from the countries participating in the festival signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement aims to develop theatre arts and activate cultural relations between the countries. The declaration is based on goodwill and does not impose any financial obligation on either side.

Georgia’s Shota Rustaveli Theater and Cinema State University wish to host theatre schools presented at the festival so that all generations can share creative and educational experiences.

International Student Festival of Theater Etiquettes was founded in 2009 and is held annually on March 27 to celebrate International Theater Day. On March 25, the festival was opened with the play “Lysistrata” by director Tata Tavdiashvili.

In 2024 the principals, teachers and students of famous theater schools from different countries in Europe and Asia (Greece, Israel, Azerbaijan, Poland, Lithuania, China, Hungary, Armenia) are invited to the festival: Konstantinos Arvanitakis – director of the Drama School of Athens Conservatory; Ioram Loewenstein – founder and gay of the Israeli Ioram Lowenstein School of Performing Arts Neral Director; Jeiran Mahmudova – Rector of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts; Piotr Severinski – Dean of the Acting Department of the Lodz Film School; Miguel Bereykaite – Dean of the Drama Faculty at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater; Giorgos Zampoulakis – Professor of the Drama School at the Athens Conservatory, Director; Nofal Valiev – Drama Faculty at the Azerbaijan State University for Culture and Arts Senior teacher of the Republic of Azerbaijan Honored artist, director; Guoyu Vu (Cyril) – International Relations and Project Manager of Beijing Drama Central Academy; Valentina Masalskis – Professor of Drama Faculty of Lithuanian Music and Theater Academy, Winner of Lithuanian National Prize; Marchin Brzhozhovski – Deputy Dean of the Acting Department of Lodz Film School; Valida Mamadova – Azerbaijan Culture and Arts He is the rector of state university The advisor.

For your information, 10 etudes were presented at the International Festival of Etudes on March 27, with students from theatre schools in Poland, China, Hungary, Lithuania, Israel, Greece, Azerbaijan, and Armenia participating. Winners of the Georgian section participated in the international festival from Georgia and were selected on the selection stage held on March 23, 2024.

On the last festival day, the professor of the Drama School of Athens Conservatory, director Giorgos Zampoulakis, will hold a working meeting, after which the masterclass of the drama faculty professor of the Lithuanian Music and Theater Academy, winner of the Lithuanian National Prize, Valentina Masalskis will be held.