The 13th International Folklore Festival "CIOFF Cetinje 2023" has started

The thirteenth International Folklore Festival "CIOFF Cetinje 2023" was officially opened on Thursday at the Summer Stage, it was announced from the Capital of Cetinje.

"From July 20 to 24, 2023, the capital city will be a meeting place of different cultures and traditions, and during that period, ensembles from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Poland, Greece, Northern Cyprus and the host country of Montenegro will be presented to the audience, who will present their culture through traditional dance and song," the announcement states.

The International Folklore Festival traditionally began with a parade of participants from the Ministry of Culture building, through the city center, to the Summer Stage, where the central event was held.

According to Milena Vujacic, president of the Prijestonica Assembly, folklore is an extremely important part of cultural heritage, and festivals like this are an opportunity to "admire and learn new customs, but also to encourage and promote international cooperation and friendship".

By preserving the tradition, cultural heritage and rich traditional folklore dances of the participating countries as part of the intangible cultural heritage, added Vujačić, she said that with this cultural and artistic event, they are promoting what is recognizable in every nation.

"We stimulate cultural exchange between the participating countries, thereby affirming the historical, cultural and touristic potential of the Capital to our guests from abroad," she added.

At the beginning of the program, as stated, the girls of the "Mystic" dance club performed.

"The folklore festival has been held in Cetinje since 2000, and it acquired an international character in 2004, when it was organized under the auspices of the World Organization of Folklore Festivals and Traditional Arts CIOFF. Cultural and artistic society "Njegoš" from Cetinje has been the host of this prestigious event for decades, which gathers the most important folklore ensembles from all over the world with the aim of preserving tradition, cultural heritage and connecting the region through folklore associations, and during that time they hosted thousands of participants and guests", with it is generally from the capital.

The sponsors of the event are, as they said, the Capital of Cetinje, the Tourism Organization of the Capital of Cetinje, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture and Media.