Commonwealth Theatre Artists Honoured with First Kirill Lavrov International Award

The Tavricheskiy Palace hosted the opening of the International Conference “Russian Theatre Abroad as an Institute of Russian Culture”. The event included a solemn ceremony of awarding the First Kirill Lavrov International prize “For Support and Promotion of Russian Culture”, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the People's Artist of the USSR.

Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council Dmitriy Kobitskiy addressed the gathering, noting that the Association has become a vital platform for mutual support and creative exchange, fostering shared initiatives and strategies for development.

He praised the Association’s efforts to promote the Russian language globally and highlighted its collaboration with the Assembly in preparing the Second International Conference “Russian Language as a Basis for Integration Dialogue in the CIS” scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg on 16–17 October 2025.

Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy also spoke at the conference, stressing Lavrov’s lifelong commitment to the theatre and calling the award a meaningful gesture of support for cultural figures.

Director of the Baltic House Theatre Sergey Shub received a certificate of merit from the IPA CIS Council for his contribution to the Assembly’s activities and fostering friendship within the CIS.

The day concluded with a plenary session, “Russian Theatre Abroad and the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War,” where theatre professionals presented research on the international contribution of CIS theatres to the war effort.

Participants included representatives of government, cultural institutions, and Russian-language theatres from CIS countries and beyond.