The Delegation of the European Union on October 9 announced the launch of the Europe Week Festival in Tajikistan.
A good annual tradition it has become for the Tajik capital to open its doors to the European Festival since 2007, the spirit of the festival for last 10 years covered different cities of Khatlon and Sughd regions, and in areas of republican subordination, according to the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan.
Organized at the initiative of the Delegation of the European Union in Tajikistan, the European Week has become an integral part of the local cultural life. Through a rich and diverse program, it seeks to promote the EU visibility, strengthen the presence of the European Union in Tajikistan, enhance cooperation between the European Union and Central Asia and draw the attention of the population to programs of existing cooperation. The festival also provides an opportunity for Tajik citizens to feel the European values and the cultural diversity of the EU.
This year, the European Union marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Rome Treaties, which laid the foundations of the modern European Union. Another special date that we celebrate is the 26th anniversary of joint cooperation between the EU and the Republic of Tajikistan.
Visit of high officials of the European Union from Brussels is expected to Tajikistan. Along with Dushanbe, this year's festival will be held in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), for the first time.
Within the framework of the Festival the following events will be held:
• Seminar on cooperation, marking 26 years of EU presence in Tajikistan;
• "EU Mini model Game" at the Tajik National University
• Film Festival at Kayhon cinema
• Handicrafts fair at Ismaili Centre• Photo exhibition – of three European photographers picturing the beauties of Tajikistan: Oleg Maštruko (Croatia), Yuri Boyanin (Bulgaria) and Matic Zorman (Slovenia).
• Concert of European and National music in the open air• Europiada – mini-football tournament, played by schoolchildren for the teams of Tajikistan, EU, France, Germany and the UK.• Educational Fair, where young scientists/scholars, teachers and students can get acquainted with the opportunities for internships and studies in the European universities.• Photo-exhibition of Tajik photographers Zaur Dakhte and Gennady Ratushenko "Europe through the eyes of Tajik photographers". At the same place the performance will be given by the pupils of Dushanbe's Shahidi musical school.• Further the festival program is hosted by the city of Khorog. The program includes a meeting of the European Union Ambassador Hidajet Biščević with the students of Khorog, and a concert of European culture.
