The State Institute for Culture with an Award from the Europe and the World Foundation for Sustainable Partnership in Cultural Diplomacy
On September 18, 2025, the Europe and the World Foundation celebrated the 10th anniversary of its website www.evropaworld.eu in the Mission Gallery. The celebration was organized in partnership with the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the guest of honor was H.E. Zakia El Midaoui - Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Bulgaria, doyen of the diplomatic corps in our country and chairwoman of the group of Francophone ambassadors. Attending were: Aksenia Boneva, responsible at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the International Organization of La Francophonie, representatives of embassies and foreign cultural institutes in Sofia, of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, personalities and organizers of significant events presented on the site, its authors, translators, journalists, partners and like-minded people.
In her opening remarks, the Director of the State Institute for Culture Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, as the host of the event, highlighted the successful joint work with the Europe and the World Foundation - three joint events of an international nature in the field of literature and Francophonie have been implemented so far, and the cooperation will continue in the future. She emphasized that it was Gergina and Vladimir Dvoretsky who received the special awards from the State Institute for Culture, which were presented three months ago on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the institute in the current year 2025.
The Chairperson of the Foundation - the poet and long-time journalist Gergina Dvoretsky, recalled that her activity is aimed at popularizing the achievements of literature, art, culture, education and science, as well as their connection with business. She emphasized that over the past years, hundreds of articles have been published on the Foundation's information website, reflecting cultural events that rarely find a place in other media.
In her greeting, H.E. Zakia El Midawi highly appreciated the activities of the Europe and the World Foundation, which daily strengthens the ties between Bulgaria, Europe and the rest of the world, including the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, through culture.
During the celebration, excerpts from books published by the Europe and the World Foundation were read. The poet Georgi Slavchev recited three poems inspired by the Master's paintings, from his poetry collection "Urala Maistore". Gergina Dvoretsky read two of her poems from her poetry collection "Lyrical Seasons. Poems from Youth to the Present", and Vladimir Dvoretsky read a poem dedicated to Sofia, from the memoir "Back and Forth" by the New Zealand poet Kevin Ireland (1933-2023), the Bulgarian translation of which was also published by the Europe and the World Foundation.
The young composer Mario Yotsov, featured in the Talents section of the website www.evropaworld.eu, played his composition "Dream" and two rachenitsa by Andrey Stoyanov, as well as a tango by Isaac Albéniz, on the electric piano.
At the end of the evening, the Europe and the World Foundation awarded prizes for successful partnerships. Special plaques were awarded to translator Zdravka Mihaylova, diplomat, journalist, literary translator from Greek and English, active author of the website, the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs with director Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, the International Offices of the Municipality of Vienna in Sofia with head Irina Simova and team Hrabra Marinova and Yasen Panov, the Association of Teachers of and in French in Bulgaria with chairwoman Vyara Lyubenova, who regularly provides materials for the Francophonie section of the website, the Read Sofia Foundation with owner and manager Todora Radeva, the Association of Spanish-Speaking Journalists in Bulgaria with chairman journalist Georgi Mitov, presenter on Classic FM radio and BTV radio.
With a special award "Ambassador Building Bridges", the highest distinction that the Europe and the World Foundation is giving for the first time, H.E. Zakia El Midaoui, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco for her long-standing cooperation with the Foundation, as well as in recognition of her overall contribution to communication and partnership between different cultures. H.E. Zakia El Midaoui also received a ceramic panel depicting a woman in Bulgarian folk costume as a gift. The Ambassador recalled that she herself wore a Bulgarian costume when she visited the village of Momchilovtsi and shared that she would write a book about Bulgaria.
The celebration ended with conversations over a cup of Moroccan mint tea and Moroccan sweets and savouries, kindly provided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as wine provided by the Europe and the World Foundation.