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The 8th edition of MIK Festival ends with an extraordinary success

2025-07-14 15:08:00, Kulturë CNA

After several days filled with art, emotions and loud musical sounds, the 8th edition of MIK Festival, one of the most important cultural events of the summer in Korça and beyond, has ended. The closing of this edition was conceived in two significant stages, with a concert in the old church of the village of Vithkuq, and then the final concert in the “Themistokli Gërmenji” flower garden, in the heart of the city of Korça.

This edition brought five concerts in a short time, with a high artistic intensity and quality, where the audience was present every night, turning the festival into a special spiritual and cultural experience. Artist Adelina Mula, who performed church music for the second year in a row at MIK, said that these works written centuries ago continue to speak to the soul and are a true treasure that brings light and peace to listeners. She described the festival as an important event not only for Korça, but for all of Albania, thanks to the participation of local and foreign artists.

The 8th edition of MIK Festival ends with an extraordinary success

"This is the second year that I have participated with church music and I love it very much. I like it very much because they are very heavenly works, works that were written many centuries ago, and again they do us good for the soul. Five concerts in such a short time, with such intensity, with a quality of these concerts where the audience was seen in participation and applause, is very important not only for Korça but for all of Albania. When not only Albanian but also foreign artists participate, giving the collaboration a different kind of greater strength that only music can do, I think it has great value," said Mula.

Among the innovations of this edition was the concert in Vithkuq, a place carefully chosen to bring not only music, but also cultural and tourist attention. Bajana Çeveli, emphasized the importance of promoting the village and its tradition, adding that in addition to music, this activity also included elements of local cuisine, brought by women of the area, with traditional dishes such as lakrorë, pispili and characteristic sweets.

The 8th edition of MIK Festival ends with an extraordinary success

"This year we thought we would have something new, in Vithkuq to understand that Vithkuq is a gem. Vithkuq needs to be promoted and this was exactly what Inva Mula talked about last year. We thought we would promote Vithkuq and who better than Inva can do such a thing? Here we have done something different. Durrës has come with its own things, with the tradition that this city has, mainly in sweets. In Vithkuq we have a lady who has been thinking for a week what dishes she will bring. Why not bring the old tradition to our tables, as long as these women know how to make these recipes and distribute them. We also have the areas of Voskopoja and Pogradec that have come with pispili, lakror, bread with chickpeas", - said Çeveli.

This was precisely the goal of Inva Mula, the creator and guiding spirit of MIK Festival. She said that she wanted the sounds of the festival to spread to places like the church of Shën Mëhillit in Vithkuq, which for her was a wonderful discovery. According to her, each day of the festival had its own uniqueness, with multilingual concerts and the participation of over 100 artists from Albania and other countries.

"We wanted to come to Vithkuq because this is one of the most beautiful villages surrounding Korça, and especially this church of Shën Mëhillit that I am visiting for the first time. I saw it in the photos and I definitely wanted to have the sounds of the MIK Festival in this beautiful place. You have witnessed an extraordinary success throughout these days. Every day has had its own uniqueness, there have been wonderful concerts with more than 100 artists, with different themes and languages. We are very happy about this because MIK grows every year and this 8-year journey of its has yielded its results", said Mula.

The 8th edition of MIK Festival ends with an extraordinary success

The 8th edition of MIK Festival concluded amidst applause and deep emotions, proving once again that music has the power to unite people, cultures and generations. With a rich artistic program and an extraordinary dedication from the organizers and participating artists, this festival became a journey through the harmony, history and spiritual heritage of the Korça region.

The festival closed the beginning of this year, leaving behind not only beautiful memories for art lovers, but also a strong message that music, when connected to the identity and spirit of the country, can create new bridges between people and generations, giving value to every corner of Albania that breathes through art. With this next success, MIK Festival climbs even higher on the cultural map of the country, making Korça and the entire surrounding area a reference point for Albanian art and spirit. /CNA