The 6th International Maltepe Theater Festival, attended by 12,000 people, has come to an end.

The 6th International Maltepe Theatre Festival, organized by the Maltepe Municipality, concluded with a closing ceremony held at the Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan Cultural Center. Organized under the slogan “Life is on stage” from October 1 to November 1, the festival featured 32 performances by 378 artists from 11 countries, providing the opportunity for 12,000 theatre enthusiasts from Maltepe to watch for free.

The closing speech of the festival was delivered by Maltepe Deputy Mayor Cevahir Efe Akçelik. He conveyed the greetings of Maltepe Mayor Esin Köymen, who was unable to attend due to a meeting concerning an incident that took place at Esenyurt Municipality. Akçelik requested a big applause for the personnel of the Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan Cultural Center, who brought artists and art lovers together during the festival, and thanked the participants and theatre lovers, saying, “If the curtains do not close, it is thanks to your demonstration of solidarity. We are glad you exist.” Expressing that theatre has existed since the beginning of history, Akçelik said, “In these days when the voice of peace is tried to be silenced on the stages where we have built a new world watching love, stubbornness, and pain, we hope to meet again at many festivals. Wishing to come together again in 2025. Goodbye.”

‘Theatre unites our peoples’

Speaking on behalf of the Ukrainian Consul General, Aleksandr Kuchka expressed his pride in being on this stage, stating, “We thank the Maltepe Municipality for this beautiful theatre festival. Theatre is a very deep cultural event, and participating in the theatre festival gives us great happiness. Particularly, Ukraine’s participation in this festival from the beginning is a great source of pride for us. We see this as an element that unites and brings our peoples closer together. During these days of war, the Turkish people have provided significant help to Ukraine. For this, we are grateful.”

Kiev Theatre Operette received applause

The Kiev Theatre Operette from Ukraine, which took the stage during the closing show, received applause from art lovers with its performances of world-renowned works, popular compositions, European hits, and ballet performances.