Dozens of talented young people took part in two cultural contests staged by the Embassy of Poland in Moldova for the fourth consecutive year –exhibition-contest “Jan Alojzy Matejko” and piano competition “Ignacy Paderewski”, IPN reports.

The exhibit “Jan Alojzy Matejko” was mounted in the hall of the National Philharmonic “Sergey Lunkevich” on November 17 and will be open to the public until November 27. This contains over 100 works made by 95 competitors who represent seven education institutions of Moldova.

The contest has four categories – painting, graphics, decorative arts and sculpture. In the painting contest, the top three prizes were won by Madalina Casian, Carmen Craciun, and Xenia Dermenji. The winners in the graphics contest are Catalin Sandu, Sorina Ursu, and Valeria Mogaldea, in the sculpture contest – Pavel Obreja, Alexei Vidrascu and Sergey Crijanovskii, while in the decorative arts contest - Elena Caraus, Andrei Shcaterman and Aliona Arama.

In the piano competition “Ignacy Paderewski”, the top position was taken by Nicoleta Condrea, Elizaveta Coroli and Bogdana-Alexandra Grecova, the second by Anastasia Ostrovscaia, while the third by Andrada Scaun and Ecaterina Mocreac.

National Philharmonic director Svetlana Bivol, who is the host of the contests, said they appreciate the Embassy of Poland’s consistent support for these competitions, noting the interest in them increases every year and this is proven by the large number of participants.

Poland’s Ambassador to Moldova Artur Michalski said the two cultural figures Jan Alojzy Matejko and Ignacy Paderewski are real emissaries of Poland abroad. The two competitions are staged annually in the middle of November, when Poland celebrates the obtaining of independence after it had been under enemy control for over a century. The diplomat told those attending that Jan Alojzy Matejko lived in the period when Poland was captured and, by his paintings, promoted the country’s history and supported the spirit of freedom of the Polish people.

Victoria Melnic, rector of the Academy of Music, Theater and Plastic Arts, said the Embassy of Poland offers enormous support, noting that the two competitions are not the only events supported by the Polish people in a move to help Moldovan culture develop. Thus, next week the Academy will host a masterclass for young plastic artists that will be conducted by Polish specialists.