Text by Jacques Lacarriere (1925-2005), spiritual founder of Actor of Europe, published in daily newspaper Le Figaro, Paris, in August 2003, for the First edition of the Festival.
The Balkan is very often equalized with a mosaic of nationalities, histories, languages, religions and heterogenic traditions. But the term mosaic presents the terms of shape, view, homogeneous subject and also the term of a play. What does the word Balkan represent in this summer 2003, after so many dangers recently spent? Does it still have a sense? And the most important: Does it have a future? What and which would be its definite shape or content? We do not intend to subscribe some artificial complex to this shape and figure. On the contrary it should be a synonym of unity and closeness, although a perfect communion is impossible. But it is not a condition to give the culture one possible progress, dimension, horizon and direction.
Geographical and historical borders delimit, separate and contrast. The cult culture is one unique meeting, exchange, sharing and connecting the similarities but there is also one characteristic very common for the culture connecting the differences.
At this point, the intention of Macedonia to organize the festival “Actor of Europe”, at the Lake of Prespa that is on the borders of three countries, three histories, three cultures: Macedonian, Albanian and Greek at one most sensitive spot, which is much than an innovation of a spot in the Balkan’s mosaic. Beside the participants of these three countries, the participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, France and Belgium, too, will present a real exhibit of Great Europe. These countries do not come on the shore of the lake of Prespa to connect or to mix with each other, but to be heard with their own voice. This voice will be brought to talk or to sing together with other voices. I repeat: neither whole nor unison except in the choruses but a concert and assembly of different, authentic and for most of them original voices. At the shore of the lake of Prespa, the mosaic which is being moved this year can have the following motto:
THOUSANDS OF YESTERDAYS BUT ONLY ONE TOMORROW.
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