Penza, 15 May 2013. PenzaNews. The closing ceremony of IV International Symposium on art glass which gathered 30 craftsmen from Russia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Finland, Belarus and France in Nikolsk, the Penza region was held on Wednesday evening, May 15.

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Summing up the results, the chairman of the government of the Penza region Yuri Krivov noted that within ten days of the symposium, the participants shared their experiences and inspiration.

“This time allowed you to get closer to each other and do something good working together. I am speaking not only about tangible results, new creations. Thanks to the symposium, I am sure we were able to create an alliance of business and industry, on the one hand, and artists and generators of ideas, on the other, as well as children and young people,” he said.

The chairman of the regional government emphasized the educational role of the symposium of masters of art glass.

“The young generation of Nikolsk can be proud of the fact that it lives in this wonderful land,” Yuri Krivov noted.

Expressing gratitude to the organizers of the event, he particularly emphasized the contribution of one of the inspirers of the symposium — the Honored Artist of Russia, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Arts Alexander Fokin, who celebrated his birthday on May 15.

“I wish that those ideas which you bring into life would capture a great number of people,” the chairman addressed to Nikolsky master awarding him with a book by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

According the head of culture and archive of the region Evgeny Shilov who also participated in the closing ceremony of IV International Symposium, the event was a joyous occasion for all residents of Nikolsk.

“Wonderful, kind, creative, emotional people came here. We had absolutely stunning exchange of energy, experience and ideas,” he said.

Evgeny Shilov also said that in 2014, the festival dedicated to the 250th anniversary of glass industry will be organized in Nikolsk.

“Just imagine, in 1764, when the industry appeared, Nikolsk was a small settlement. But thanks to the talent of its residents, they were able to learn the craft, and then turn it into art and impress the whole world. This process involved close collaboration with the artists from the neighboring territories and countries. As a result of cultural and creative exchange, we have masterpieces, which are now kept in the Nikolsk Museum of Glass and Crystal, and which cause admiration and delight of the visitors, and awaken the desire to continue the good tradition of the masters,” he added.

The head of culture and archive of the Penza region also expressed confidence that the symposium will turn Nikolsk into a place of interest.

“On June 13, the members of the Caravanning Union of Russia are expected to arrive, together with a large delegation of federal and foreign journalists. They will visit the Museum of Glass and Crystal and tell the world about our treasure. Thus, they will open Nikolsk for tourists from different countries,” Evgeny Shilov concluded.

After the ceremony, an exposition of works made by the participants of IV International Symposium on Art Glass was opened.