Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The 33rd April Spring Friendship Art Festival was opened in Pyongyang, the capital city of Juche Korea in response to the aspiration and desire of the world people to significantly celebrate the 112th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung as an auspicious holiday common to mankind. Present at the festival were famous art troupes, dance groups and circus of dozens of countries, including Russia, China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Italy and Venezuela, and overseas Korean art troupes. Upon receiving the news about the 33rd April Spring Friendship Art Festival, many art troupes, actors and actresses of the world and overseas Korean artistes applied for the participation in the festival and created and sent peculiar art pieces to the festival organizing committee. The 33rd April Spring Friendship Art Festival was opened on Thursday. The festival organizing committee reported the opening of the festival through the Korean Central TV and websites including "Korean Art". The video reflecting the idea, tradition and vitality of the festival introduced the form, method and the scale of the festival, congratulatory speeches made by personages of governments of different countries and scenes of performance of artistes. The minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, the minister of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in their congratulatory speeches extended warm greetings to the DPRK people on the auspicious spring holiday, wishing the April Spring Friendship Art Festival good success. Sung Jong Gyu, minister of Culture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who doubles as chairman of the festival organizing committee, expressed thanks to the participants in the 33rd April Spring Friendship Art Festival and personages of political and cultural circles and artistes of various countries for making great efforts for the successful festival and expressed belief that the festival would contribute to the development of cultural relations among countries. Artistes and famous singers of the popular vocal ensembles including Russia's Pyatero Ensemble and "Kvatro" Ensemble and Italy's Apasionante Trio presented colorful numbers after expressing their pleasure of attending the April Spring Friendship Art Festival, a grand festival in praise of the great man. The videos on the festival will be broadcasted on the Korean Central TV and put on websites including "Korean Art".