The 22rd edition of the ProEtnica Intercultural Festival, scheduled for August 26-30, in the Medieval Fortress of Sighisoara, will take place under the slogan 'ProEtnica 2026 - 25 years for interethnic peace and intercultural dialogue' and will bring together representatives of the 20 national minorities officially recognised in Romania.

'The 22nd edition of the ProEtnica Intercultural Festival will bring together in Sighisoara representatives of the 20 national minorities recognised in Romania. This year's edition is a jubilee one: we celebrate 25 years since the first edition of the festival, organized in 2001. ProEtnica starts from the conviction that the protection of national minorities is an essential factor for interethnic peace and for the stability of a democratic and pluralistic society,' Chairman of the Interethnic Educational Centre for Youth Sighisoara (ibz), Volker Reiter, the organiser of the event, said on Thursday in a social media post.

The festival is organised by the Interethnic Educational Centre for Youth Sighisoara (ibz) in partnership with the Department for Interethnic Relations of the Romanian Government, the main partner of the project. It takes place under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and under the patronage of the ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Romania, Angela Ganninger.

'The festival offers national minorities a wide space for cultural expression and creates the necessary framework for dialogue between them and the majority population. The central purpose of the ProEtnica Festival is to contribute to the consolidation of interethnic peace in a democratic and pluralistic society, starting from the premise that the protection of national minorities is an essential factor of stability. The event promotes the rights and cultural expression of minorities, creating a broad framework for intercultural dialogue, including between minorities and the majority population,' the organiser said.

At the same time, according to Reiter, an essential role in the conception and implementation of the festival belongs to the organisations of the participating national minorities, which make a decisive contribution through the organizational, artistic and logistical resources mobilised.

'For five days, every afternoon, the stage in the Citadel Square will host an extensive artistic playbill staged by representatives of ethnic communities from all over the country. Music, dance, traditional costumes and the diversity of cultural expressions will transform the historic centre of Sighisoara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, into a living space for meeting and dialogue. Also, national minority organisations will set up presentation stands, where visitors will be able to discover the traditions, culture, publications and activity of the communities and will be able to enter into direct dialogue with their representatives,' the post reads.

This year's events will be rounded up by exhibitions and book stands, lectures, conferences and debates organised under the title 'Agora of Intercultural Dialogue', as well as round table conferences dedicated to the literature and culture of minorities within the 'Literary Salon'.

In preparation for the anniversary edition, the graphic layout of the ProEtnica 2026 poster has already been made, according to Mihai Szabo's conception, the composition symbolically representing the 20 national minorities and highlights the picturesque setting of the municipality of Sighisoara.

'In its final form, the poster will include the insignia of the two patronages and the logos of partners, supporters, sponsors and media partners. The event enjoys support of the Municipality of Sighisoara, the National Agency for Roma and the National Centre for Roma Culture - Romano Kher, being sponsored by the companies Hochland and Global Safety Textiles', said Reiter.

The National News Agency AGERPRES is a traditional media partner of the ProEtnica Intercultural Festival. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Dorina Matis; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)