The festival of the Balkan cultural space „Theater at the Crossroads“ started at the National Theater in Niš, for which this year’s selectors, director prof. dr Vlatko Ilić and theatrologist  Spasoje Ž. Milovanović, selected six plays from the region for the competitive part of the festival, which would last until September 14. At the opening of the festival, Niš City Mayor Dragana Sotirovski and the Director of Niš National Theater, Spasoje Ž Milovanović, addressed the audience. Welcoming those present and thanking the people from the entire region who came to support the festival Mayor Sotirovski said that Niš was both the city of tradition and the city of the future. „We are proud to point out the various cultural programs and festivals that bring together a large number of domestic and foreign audiences. The crossroads, which makes our city special, is also woven into the name of the theater festival. The Theater at the Crossroads Festival enables the meeting of numerous theaters and generations of artists and offers genre and artistic diversity, „said the Mayor. According to her this event is a place of recognizing common values, which make the peoples of the Balkans so special, but also a place of understanding and respect for diversity. It affirms truly creative cooperation and gatherings, and provides opportunities for open meetings and exchanges of ideas. All this strengthens cultural ties and promotes mutual understanding. It is art and culture that are the keys to the development of any society, the key that implies knowledge, creativity and innovation.

Niš Theater Festival Theater at the Crossroads maintains the spirit and tradition of the cultural space, improves the thought of the city, contributes to the development of the cultural infrastructure and strengthens the cultural and creative industries, Mayor Sotirovski pointed out. She mentioned that there were few such significant crossroads like Niš, which left a deep mark with art, from which the cultural heritage for future generations emerges. Sofia theatrologist Vasilka Bumbarova declared the festival open. On the first evening, the play „The Miracle of St. George“ by Rusomir Bogdanovski and directed by Nikola Zavišić premiered. It is a co-production of the Drama and Puppet Theater Ivan Radoev from Pleven, the National Theater from Niš, and the Theater „Joan Slaviči“ from Arad.