Celebration of the National Day of Bulgaria in Bulgarian embassies around the world
The national holiday of the Republic of Bulgaria, March 3, was celebrated in a number of Bulgarian embassies around the world this year. In the organization of the festive events, respect for Bulgarian culture and national identity merged with the joy of communication and meetings with friends of Bulgaria. Part of the cultural programs were held with the active support of the State Cultural Institute.
In the UAE, the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Consulate General in Dubai jointly organized a reception at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. The event attracted over 350 Bulgarian citizens and foreign guests who enjoyed a rich cultural program. Bulgarian musicians, singers and artists living and working in the UAE presented their talents, revealing part of Bulgaria's rich musical heritage. The cherry on top of the cultural program were the exceptional jazz versions of the Bulgarian songs "One Bulgarian Rose" and "My Country, My Bulgaria", performed by Bobi Valchev and Iva Georgieva - vocals, Stoyan Stoyanov - keys, Marin Bozev - saxophone and Kaloyan Kalchev - drums. The mobile exhibition "Bulgaria from a bird's eye view" of the State Cultural Institute was presented during the entire event through virtual photo images that complemented the atmosphere of the holiday and touched the guests with beautiful landscapes from the Motherland, author's photographs by Alexander Ivanov.
In Pretoria, the Diplomatic Mission of Bulgaria organized an official reception, which also included an exhibition by the DKI, presenting Bulgarian aromas, rose and lavender fields and folk traditions. Over 220 guests gathered at the Residence of the Bulgarian Ambassador, where the visitors had the opportunity to learn about the culture of Bulgaria and enjoy Bulgarian tastes and music. A key element of the musical program of the reception was the performance of the Bulgarian work "Dance" from "5 sketches" by the composer Marin Goleminov, performed by a Bulgarian trio consisting of Miroslav Chakaryan, concertmaster of the Johannesburg Philharmonic, Vladimir Ivanov, conductor of the violas of the Johannesburg Philharmonic and Tony Ivanova, music teacher and violinist. Those present were impressed not only by the grace of the artists presented, but also by the opportunity to learn about the traditions of our country.
In the city of Midrand in South Africa, the Bulgarian community gathered at the Bulgarian Cultural Club to mark the holiday with a solemn program. The Embassy supported the event by providing the photo exhibition "Scents from Bulgaria" to the State Cultural Institute, thus bringing an additional atmosphere of cultural exchange and enjoyment. The program also included recitals of excerpts from Bulgarian works of art by students from the Bulgarian Sunday School "Sun", performances of Bulgarian folk songs, dances and choirs.
These events raise the Bulgarian spirit and create connections that turn distant points around the world into places for communication and creating memories for Bulgarians abroad. Thanks to the efforts of the Bulgarian embassies, cultural institutions and the Bulgarian community, the National Day of Bulgaria became an exciting event for all who celebrated it.