The 1st edition
The 22th – 24th of September 1994
“Everything is pleasant here. We have been extremely happy to receive such a welcome. We will certainly participate again in this festival, if we are invited.”
Claude Bosson – member of “Marais Tradition” Ensemble (Challans) – France
The 2nd edition
The 22th – 24th of November 1995
“We have been so impressed with the hospitality of Romanians everywhere we have been invited as participants in this festival. We also love your town. The organization of this event is extraordinary. We have already told our families back home that we have such a good time here.”
Dusan Lazovic – Director of “Zapis” Folk Ensemble – Serbia
“I visited Romania for the first time in 1989. I can notice a big difference in the way we were received then and the way we are received now.”
Dumitru Habasescu – Conductor – “Fluierasul” Folk Ensemble – Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
The 3rd edition
The 6th – 8th of November 1996
“It is the second time we participate in this festival and we like it very much. The atmosphere is extraordinary, the organization is a great one and we feel very good here. We would be glad to invite you next year to our folk festival in Veles, the Former Republic of Macedonia.”
Metodija Fotevski – Director of “Kole Nedelkovski” Ensemble – Macedonia
The 4th edition
The 19th – 21th of September 1997
“By means of dance and music we have offered you our souls. We hope that you will remember our ensemble with pleasure. And, who knows, maybe we will have the opportunity to see you again one day…”
Tigran Hakobian – “Masis” Folk Ensemble – Armenia
“It is the second time I visit Romania. I have noticed with pleasure that Slobozia is a beautiful and quiet town, with nice and hospitable people who respect the natural environment. We have made many friends here and we feel comfortable. I am glad I have the occasion to thank the organizers for inviting us to this festival and we hope that next year “Doina Baraganului” Folk Ensemble will participate in our festival at Moscow.
Anatoli Kalenov – Director of “Russkie Napevy” Ensemble – Russia
The 5th edition
The 13th – 15th of August 1998
“I have participated in many international folk festivals and I think that this one has the same high standards in what concerns the organization. We feel good and we are very happy to be here. We hope that the spectators from Ialomita County will enjoy our performances.”
Melih Damar – Choreographer of “Halim Focali Anadolu Otelcilik ve Turizm Meslek Lisesi” – Turkey
The 6th edition
The 6th – 8th of September 2000
“Although our ensemble has already had the occasion to feel the kindness and friendship of Romanians, we have accepted the invitation of the Centre for Folk Creation, Ialomita, and we are again present here in Romania at the International Folk Festival “Floare de pe Baragan.” We have been overwhelmed with the hospitality and attention of the people who live in Ialomita, whom we will never forget. Noticing the organization, the artistic value of the ensembles that have been invited, and the value of the folklore typical of Ialomita represented by “Doina Baraganului” Folk Ensemble, we are convinced that we participate in one of the most successful folk festivals in Europe or even in the world.”
Kemal Ozcakir – Director of “Alaykoy Kultur and Art Association” Ensemble – Cyprus
“It will be a great pleasure to come back to Ialomita each time you invite us, because once with the attendance to the successful International Folk Festival “Floare de pe Baragan” we have achieved two goals: we have presented folk songs and dances from the Italian repertoire at a high artistic level and we established a wonderful friendship with the members of your ensemble; we promise that we will continue the cultural exchange between our ensemble and the one from Ialomita and we hope you will be soon our guests.”
Giorgio Mulas – Director of “Sant Aleni” Folk Ensemble – Italy
“We are again present in Slobozia, participating in a new edition of the International Folk Festival “Floare de pe Baragan”. We have met our friends who know each time how to surprise us with something new. We have been warmly welcomed everywhere we have performed in Ialomita. We hope that our performances have been appreciated by the spectators who live in your county.”
Metodija Fotevski – Director of “Kole Nedelkovski” Ensemble – Macedonia
The 7th edition
The 29th-31th of August 2001
“We have met “Doina Baraganului” Folk Ensemble at the International Festival of Bagpipes in the Czech Republic and they have made a great impression on us. We are glad and honored to be invited to this festival. We have come for the first time in Romania and we have been impressed with the beauty of your country. We can say the same about the festival “Floare de pe Baragan” which takes place in Slobozia, a festival with high standards of organization. The spectators in Ialomita County are hospitable people and they have received us in a wonderful way.”
Xohan Manuel Xill Paxaro – Director of the Folk Ensemble “Bande de Gaitas Nova Fronteira & Cartelle” – Spain
The 8th edition
The 27th of June 2003
“I have met in Slobozia the greatest organizers of all international folk festivals I have participated in the last years. If you invite us to participate in the following editions, we promise to be present with great pleasure.”
Anita Geratowska – Director of “Przygoda” Folk Ensemble – Poland
“The songs and dances that your ensemble perform have brought joy to our souls. You have treated us extremely well during the entire festival. We will surely miss you.”
Mario Tasko – Member of “Bystrankan” Folk Ensemble – Slovakia
“I have participated in many international folk festivals but I have never met people so kind and welcoming like those from Slobozia. Your exceptional organization represents a model for us.”
Tatiana Apahimenko – member of “Halytska Veselka” Ensemble – Ukraine
The 9th edition
The 10th-12th of June 2005
“These international festivals offer us each time the possibility to meet and mutually acknowledge the values of the traditional cultures from other countries, veritable treasures passed down from one generation to another. The organization is excellent, the people from Ialomita are hospitable and the spectators are special.”
Mirko Pecic – Choreographer of “Zapis” Ensemble – Serbia
The 10th edition
The 1st-4th of June 2006
“We are happy that we have accepted the invitation to participate in this festival. We are for the first time in Romania and we have met here kind, open and hospitable people. In what concerns the festival we can say that it has high artistic and organizational standards. We have made special friends and we hope that in the future we will meet them again.”
Karolyna Malysz – leader of “Zemia Cieszynska” group – Poland
“The festival”Floare de pe Baragan” is truly an international festival. We have received a warm welcome everywhere we have been, the conditions they have offered us are some of the best we have ever had, the spectators have been great and the days we have spent in Slobozia and everywhere in Ialomita County will help us remember with so much pleasure our friends from Romania”
Radi Radev – Choreographer of “Zarya” Folk Ensemble – Bulgaria
“The days we have spent as part of this wonderful festival in Ialomita have confirmed once more that the Romanians treat each other as being brothers, no matter the geographical distances and the frontiers. Everywhere we have been we have met hospitable, friendly and kind people. The festival is very well organized and the performances of the participants are impressive.”
Svetlana Guslikov – leader of “Izvoras” Ensemble – Republic of Moldova
The 11th edition
The 17th-20th of July 2008
“It is wonderful for us to meet here friends and collaborators from our generation. Our ensemble was founded more than 50 years ago and it is the oldest students’ ensemble from Poland. We have participated in many festivals all over the world and we can say that this one in Ialomita is one of the best organized and spectacular. If we are invited, we will come back the next time with much pleasure.”
Maciej Jedrezejek – Director of “Krakus” Ensemble – Poland
“It is the first time we are part of a folk festival in Romania. The guests are hospitable and kind and we have made special friends. It is an interesting experience for us.”
Hristo Stogianis – Choreographer of “Alexandru cel Mare” Ensemble – Greece
The 12th edition
The 6th-9th of August 2009
„This was our first time joining an international folk festival held in Romania. Here we have found extraordinary people, special friends, a welcome as we don`t often receive and an exceptional organization. We will return home with great impressions and we will recommend this festival to all of our friends. If we will be invited again in the future we will come back certainly.”
Valentin Tyurin – director of „Istra” ensemble – Russia
„The „Floare de pe Baragan” festival has a very good organization, all the people are very friendly and the atmosphere is great. We are happy to be guests of this wonderful festival, which proves to live up to the European standards.”
Ranko Jovanovic – leader of the „Zeljeznikar“ ensemble – Montenegro
The 13th edition
The 13th-16th of May 2010
„We’re very glad that we are able to participate here at your festival, so we can represent our country – Slovenia and our cultural heritage. We wish that you will enjoy our program and feel at least a bit of Slovenia. Greetings to all other groups, especially to all the Romanian’s. Thank you very much and we hope that we will meet again.”
Irena Zadel – the artistic director of the folk ensemble „Sticna” – Slovenia
„This is our first time in Romania and we’re impressed by the hospitality of the inhabitants of Ialomita and how this festival is organised. We hope the public will enjoy our performances. “
Ales Giert – the leader of the ensemble „Mladost” – Slovakia
The 14th edition
The 2nd-5th of June 2011
„The International Folklore Festival „Baragan’s Flower“ is a well-known festival in Europe. We’re very glad that we were invited here. Serbian people is an old friend of the Romanian people. The group „Elektroporcelan“ is thanking you for the invitation to this important festival“
Radoslav Mirkovic – director of the folk ensemble „Elektroporcelan” – Serbia
„Everything is wonderful in your town and county and we are welcomed everywhere with hospitality and warmth. Thank you for the invitation to this festival and, in turn, we are waiting for you to come to Poland.“
Bozena Wojciuk – director of the folk ensemble „Chodowiacy” – Poland
„It’s for the first time for us to participate to a festival in Eastern Europe. We are happy to be here and hopefully our show that we perform for you from our heart to delight you.“
Gerda Groot – leader of the group „Old WestFrisian Dancinggroup Wijdenes” – Netherlands
The 15th edition
The 24th-27th of May 2012
„We thank the organisers that gave us the opportunity to participate in this event. “Baragan’s Flower” is a festival that can compete anytime with similar events world wide. We were impressed by the hospitality we were welcomed everywhere in Ialomita. It was a great experience.”
Durmuş Ali Arslan – director of the folk ensemble „Folklore Club of Egirdir Public Education Center – Isparta” – Turkey
The 16th edition
The 13th-16th of June 2013
„Our ensemble “Poznań” from Poland is very happy that we could take a part in The International Folklore Festival „Baragan’s Flower“. The organization of Festival was brilliant. We will never forget concerts we gave in Romania – the audience was great, so powerful and wonderful. Also we were suprised of the hospitality and kindness of Romania’s people. In every town we visited we felt like at home. It was the first visit “Poznań” in Romania, but we are sure that it wasn’t the last. We want thank everyone who’s created this Festival – thanks for great experience and wonderful memories!”
Małgorzata Fraszewska – Koordynator ds. organizacyjnych ZTL “Poznań” AWF – Poland
The 17th edition
The 29th of May -1st of June 2014
„The International Folklore Festival „Baragan’s Flower“ is a very important and well-organized festival in which we participated. We will return home with great impressions and we will recommend this festival to all of our friends. Also, it is known and true friendship of our peoples – Romanians and Serbian. The group „Šamot“ is thanking for the Invitation for this nice and serious festival.“
Dejan Ranković – Choreographer and Art Director of The Folk Enesmble „Šamot“ – Serbia
„We would like to express our great satisfaction that our group participated at 17th edition of „Baragan’s Flower“ festival and to thank you for all your hospitality. We appreciate your great efforts to bring together folk groups from different countries to present their culture. We see that all romanian people are hospitable and nice people. We have received a warm welcoming from every towns and villages we had performance. The organisation was very artistic and high quality. Also we appreciate that we had opportunity to have official meeting with your authorities and we hope that your municipality will continoue to support your big efforts and great cultural manifestation which is really worth of participating. Finally we can say hat we spent wonderful days in your country and we will remember you with great pleasure.“
Kadir GÜLER – Director of „Zafer“ Folk Dance Group – Turkey
The 18th edition
The 21st – 24th May 2015
„We send our warm greetings from the town Bizovac Cultural Association. We are first in Romania and we are glad that we are guests of this renowned festival. Thanks for the warm welcome. We hope that the impression we left it to be positive. Also we invite our turn to be our guests in beautiful places on the Adriatic Coast“.
Srecko Vukovic – President of The Cultural Asociation of Bizovac – Croatia
The 19th edition
The 9th-12th June 2016
„We traveled more than 2000 km to arrive in Romania where we are for the first time. It is a wonderful country and Ialomita county is attractive with great people. Festival gave us a special impression. We will return home with the best impressions and wish the organizers the best thoughts for the future editions of the festival!“
Andris Slisans – director of the folk ensemble „Upite” – Latvia
The 20th edition
The 25th-28th of May 2017
„As TOBB University of Economics and Technology Folk Dances Ensemble, we would like to send you our sincerest feelings from Ankara, Turkey. We were honored to be a part of the 20th edition of The International Folklore Festival “Baragan’s Flower” . We would like to thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality that we experienced everywhere we have been to and also for giving us the opportunity to meet and mingle with people of various cultures. We hope that our club and dance performances in the festival were satisfying as well. We will never forget the wonderful days we have spent in your country. Hope to see you all again one day in the future“
Gözde Ayhan – director of TOBB University of Economics and Technology Folk Dances Ensemble – Ankara – Turkey