In collaboration with Çatalköy-Esentepe Municipality and the Cyprus Turkish State Theatres, the renovated Esentepe Cultural Palace was reopened with a magnificent ceremony as part of the 27th March World Theatre Day celebrations. The opening was marked by the performance of the play “Training on Ships” by the Cyprus Open Theatre Team, and the hall reopened its doors to art lovers after a long break. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Republic Assembly, Fazilet Özdenefe, members of parliament, CTP General President Sıla Usar İncirli, municipal council members, regional village heads, Telsim communication sponsor officials, and numerous guests. Kırok: “We kept our promise”
Speaking at the opening, Çatalköy-Esentepe Mayor Ceyhun Kırok stated that they were proud to have fulfilled the promise they made last year, and that the Esentepe Cultural Palace had been renovated with state-of-the-art technology and brought to the region as a multi-purpose cultural center. Kırok thanked the municipal staff who contributed to the project and drew attention to the unifying power of culture and art for societies. Referring to the importance of World Theatre Day, Kırok emphasized the role of theatre in creating social awareness. İncirli: “Art moves society forward”
CTP General President Sıla Usar İncirli, in her speech, stated that art, and especially theatre, plays a significant role in the development of societies. Pointing to the importance of increasing cultural investments, İncirli said that the Esentepe Cultural Palace is an important asset for the people of the region. Stating that it is more important than ever for people to protect their reason and common sense in today’s world, İncirli said, “We live in a world governed by people who have lost their minds and don’t know what they are doing. In such an environment, theatre is one of the most important things we need to be able to keep our minds in check.” İncirli stated that theatre makes a great contribution to social resistance and resilience.
Declaration read, curtain opened
In the program, the international declaration of World Theatre Day on March 27 was read by State Theatre artist Halit Tümkan. Following the declaration, the play “There is Training on Ships” was staged and received great appreciation from the audience. The evening once again showcased the unifying power of art, while the Esentepe Cultural Center made a strong comeback to cultural and artistic life with its new look. At the end of the program, Çatalköy-Esentepe Mayor Ceyhun Kırok thanked the actors for their performance and presented them with flowers and plaques.