On October 23-rd, the R. Gumba Abkhaz State Philharmonic Hall hosted an awards ceremony and gala concert for the winners of the 4-th Alisa Gitsba International Music Competition and Laboratory, "Music – Dialogue Without Borders and Distances."

Catherine Velasquez, the leading soloist of the Nicaraguan Incanto Foundation (Nicaraguan Vocal Institute) was awarded the second prize in the Opera Singing category. The award was presented to her by Oleg Bartsits, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia. Velasquez also won a special prize from the Irina Samodaeva Foundation: a concert on Mexican television and a solo concert.