Minister Ersoy at the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ play with his Greek counterpart

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni watched the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ together in Athens. Ersoy and Mendoni discussed cultural cooperation during their meetings in Athens and emphasized during the visits that Turkish-Greek relations are progressing rapidly with a positive agenda

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni watched the play “Romeo and Juliet” together in Athens.

Mendoni and Ersoy, who came to Athens upon the invitation of Mendoni, held a bilateral meeting. The two ministers visited the Acropolis Museum and made evaluations on cultural cooperation between the countries.

Pointing out that Turkish and Greek cultures have many common elements, Ersoy said, “Every time we visit, this common cultural awareness becomes more and more. As a result of recent meetings between the two leaders (President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kiryakos Mitsotakis), the decision to bring Turkish-Greek relations to the forefront with a positive agenda quickly triggered this positive atmosphere in relations.”

Stating that the steps taken for cooperation in the field of tourism have also accelerated the visits of the peoples of both countries to each other, Ersoy said, “In the bilateral meetings we held today, we decided to further increase the cultural activities between the two countries. We will take the relevant steps in a very short time.”

Mendoni, for his part, said that Ersoy’s visit to Athens following the meetings of Mitsotakis and Erdogan in Ankara was a continuation of the positive atmosphere created between the two leaders.

In the evening, the two ministers watched the play Romeo and Juliet, staged by Turkish and Greek artists at the Megaro Musiki Culture and Art Center.

Tamer Karadagli, Director General of the State Theaters, Cagatay Erciyes, Turkish Ambassador to Athens, Mustafa Somuncu, Consul General of Athens and Piraeus, Turkish and Greek citizens were among the audience.

The play, which is being performed in 3 languages, Turkish, English and Greek, will meet with art lovers at Megaro Musiki until May 19.

Romeo and Juliet

The premiere of William Shakespeare’s unforgettable work “Romeo and Juliet” was held on April 26 at the Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM).

The work, staged under the direction of Lefteris Giovanidis, met with art lovers with the joint project of State Theatres from Türkiye and Megaro Music Culture and Art Center from Greece and Lykofos, the cultural organization of Yorgos Lykiardopoulos.

The project, which brought together art institutions and artists from Greece and Türkiye, set out to build a bridge between the two nations.

The project not only adapts Shakespeare’s poetic work to the present day, but also revisits it through two families living in a Balkan city. The love story of Turkish Romeo and Greek Juliet unfolds against the background of people of different cultures and religions, crime, violence and madness that have become a part of everyday life.

Source: Newsroom