Actor, director and playwriter Constantin Chiriac, Knight of Legion of Honor

Constantin Chiriac, the director of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival was decorated with the Legion of Honor on Wednesday night.

He received the award with the French ambassador to Romania, Michele Ramis, at a ceremony held at the ambassador's residence.

In her speech, the ambassador spoke about “France's gratitude for Constantin Chiriac's full career and the precious contribution to the relationship between France and Romania”. Michele Ramis praised the launch of the festival. “To launch a festival is not easy, you faced many obstacles but kept going. You believed in this great project and even mortgaged your house to organize the 1997 edition. Slowly, the festival became more and more important and between 2004 and 2007 when Sibiu was cultural European capital you were appointed vicepresident of the organization committee. The festival became one of the biggest and more prestigious festivals in Europe and the world,” the ambassador said.

In his speech, Constantin Chiriac reminded that “since the beginning the Sibiu festival was inspired by Jean Vilar and Avignon Festival,” which revealed “the importance granted to artistic diversity on the background of opening to a popular, theatre loving audience.”

Chiriac mentioned the diplomatic ties with several French ambassador and cultural collaborations, starting with Philippe Etienne to Michele Ramis, ties which had an undeniable impact on the program and resonance of the festival.

The Legion of Honor is the highest French civilian and military decoration set up in 1802 and granted since 1804.

Developed by Codecraftsman