Historic Award from the Shakespeare Association of America to the International Shakespeare Festival in Türkiye

The Shakespeare Association of America (SAA), one of the most established scholarly institutions in the United States, has honored the International Shakespeare Festival in Türkiye with the "Publics Award" at the national and local level. Notably, this marks the first time in the association's history that the award has been presented to a country and a project outside the United States.

Asst. Prof. İlker ÖZÇELİK emphasized that this international success, which transcends borders, is the culmination of years of dedicated effort. In the acceptance statement, he highlighted: "This is not just an award, but a tangible recognition of the dedication, belief, collaboration, and perseverance that have shaped our journey since the inaugural festival in 2018."

The International Shakespeare Festival team proudly accepted this historic honor on behalf of the countless colleagues, scholars, valued partners, and students who dream, create, and touch their communities through the power of the arts. Concluding with a message of deep gratitude to everyone involved in every step of the journey, the organizers shared a hopeful vision for the future: "Here's to writing many more stories together."