Culture Ministry's prizes for 2023 awarded in Moldova

Chisinau, 15 January /MOLDPRES/ - The Culture Ministry organized a festivity of awarding prizes to the laureates of the 2024 edition of the Gala of Annual Prizes in the Culture sector, at the Palace of the Republic today, in the context of the National Culture Day.    

The prizes are awarded annually for creation products and artistic innovations, which have a significant impact on the national and international cultural heritage, got the society’s appreciation and contributed to the promotion of the national culture internationally.  

Attending the event were President Maia Sandu, Culture Minister Sergiu Prodan, culture and art people.

In her speech, President Maia Sandu said that it was happiness to celebrate today, at this gala, the people who, through effort and talent, had proved to be the best; either they excelled in literature, theatre, film, fine art, visual arts or in music, museography and cultural diplomacy. ‘’I thank each of you for the contribution to the development of the national culture. Through you, Moldova has what to display, has hat to show to itself,’’ the head of state stressed.            

The laureates of the prize from this year are: actor and stage manager Sergiu Chiriac – Valeriu Cupcea prize in the theatre art field; writers Nicolae Popa and Lorina Balteanu – Constantin Stere prize in the literature sector; a painter and restorer from the National Art Museum of Moldova, Svetlana Chiriac - Stefan Ciobanu prize in the field of conservation of the cultural heritage and museography; director of the Joc National Ballet, Aliona Baroncea – Vladimir Curbet prize in the dance field; the merited artistic collective of Moldova, ensemble of accordionists Concertino, led by Master in Art Eugen Negruta - the Gavriil Musicescu prize in the music sector; university professor Nelly Turcan, - the Ion Madan prize in the field of librarianship and bibliography; the founder of the MăiestrIA community, Stela Moldovanu, - the Isidor Burdin prize in the field of intangible heritage; the executive director of the Timpul (The Time) magazine of Romania, edited in Moldova, Maria Ivanov – the prize Gheorghe Cincilei, in the field of promotion of the cultural image in mass media.          

Painter Elena Bontea got the Mihail Grecu prize in the fine arts field; the script writer and director of the film, Tunete (Thunders), Ioan Bobeica,  - the Emil Loteanu prize in the cinematography field; the headmaster of the Ciprian Porumbescu Republican Music Lyceum, Valeriu Luta – Veniamin Apostol prize in the field of artistic education; fine artist Pavel Obreja got the Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu Prize in the field of visual arts; the prize for the best manager of culture institution locally went to the head of the Culture, Youth and Sport Department of the Drochia district council, Cristina Turcanu, and the head of the Culture Section of the Ialoveni district, Diana Josu-Braniste; violin player, composer and conductor Anatol Vitu received the prize for the entire activity. The Special prize, Cultural Diplomacy, awarded for the first time ever, went to piano player Marcel Lazar and accordionist Radu Ratoi, holder of the title of World Champion in playing the accordion.       

The Culture Ministry also awarded several Merit Diplomas.