The "Navruz 2007" Central Asian theater festival opened today in the Tajik capital Dushanbe. Five professional theater groups from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan are participating in the event. Six plays -- comedies and dramas in four regional languages -- are scheduled to be played during the three-day festival.
Abdulghani Abdughafforov, a Kyrgyz playwright participating in the event, told RFE/RL the festival aims to build cultural bridges between the Central Asia countries, which have now been separated by heavily guarded borders.
"We share common national traditions and spiritual values," Abdughafforov said.
"We have the same music. No one can separate us -- not even customs, borders and customs departments. We will always stay close, hopefully. We are pleased that [this event] brings our cultures even closer. This cooperation has a bright future," Abdughafforov added.
Today's opening ceremony was followed by Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata opera performed by the Tajik State Opera and Ballet Theater.
The "Navruz" theater festival takes place every year in one of the Central Asian capitals.
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
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