Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska was presented with the Yes to Art award for outstanding achievements in arts and culture at the Anatolian Theatrical Awards ceremony held Thursday evening in Istanbul.

Thanking for the honor, Minister Kanceska-Milevska said the recognition was a motivation to continue to make effort to improve the state of culture of Macedonia and its promotion beyond the country's borders, as well as to further strengthen the cultural ties with Turkey, 'Macedonia's genuine friend and supporter,' the Macedonian Ministry of Culture said on Friday. 

The award, presented by the prestigious theater magazine Tiyatro Gazetesi, is the second recognition for the Macedonian Minister in Turkey. In 2011, she was decorated with the Gold Chenar award for outstanding accomplishment in arts and culture, read the press release.

The Skopje-based Turkish Theater was also recognized at the ceremony. The cultural institution in the past 65 years has produced a myriad of critically-acclaimed plays.

Earlier, Kanceska-Milevska held a meeting with her Turkish counterpart Nabi Avci. The two interlocutors concluded that the countries were fostering an excellent cooperation in all segments of culture.

Ministers Kanceska-Milevska and Avci voiced their confidence that culture cooperation between Macedonia and Turkey would resume with growing dynamics. For that purpose, the two ministers pledged to sign a cooperation programme in due time. The document is expected to lay down the necessary conditions for the opening of cultural and information centers in Skopje and Istanbul as well as to speed up plans regarding the construction of a new building of the Turkish Theater in Skopje, stated the press release.