The Exhibition "Bulgaria from a Bird's Eye View" was Presented at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
On February 14, the second gala concert, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria and dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Egypt took place in the Great Hall of the Conference Center of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Among the official guests were representatives of the Library's management, heads and members of diplomatic missions and the diplomatic corps in Alexandria, representatives of cultural institutes, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Alexandria, the business community, as well as the Bulgarian community from the city and the region.
With their inimitable vocal and instrumental performances, combining the richness of Bulgarian folklore with contemporary classical music, the singers from the Mystery of Bulgarian Voices and the virtuoso musicians from the Quarto Quartet captivated the numerous audience. Under the expert guidance of Maestro Georgi Andreev, the ensemble presented an impressive program, and his solo performances on the gadulka were greeted with particular enthusiasm.
The culmination of the evening was the joint performances of Bulgarian and Egyptian works with the participation of the distinguished Egyptian composer and conductor Nayer Nagy on the piano, Egyptian instrumentalists on traditional instruments and the choir of the Alexandria Library. This unique artistic project, which vividly illustrates the close cultural and musical ties between Bulgaria and Egypt, was highly appreciated by the audience.
A special highlight of the program was the presentation in digital format of one of the traveling exhibitions of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs - "Bulgaria from a Bird's Eye View". The visual presentation, projected during the concert, complemented the musical experience by revealing to the guests impressive aerial footage of natural and cultural-historical landmarks of Bulgaria and thus expanding the cultural message of the event beyond the stage.
In her welcoming speech on behalf of the Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr. Ahmed Zayed, the Head of Public Affairs, Ms. Heba Al Refai, emphasized the importance of music and art as a bridge between cultures and the institution’s mission to promote understanding through knowledge and intercultural dialogue. She recalled the historical ties between Egypt and Thrace during the Hellenistic period and referred to the exhibition “Egyptian Cults by the Black Sea” opened on February 10 at the Library.
In his address, Ambassador Deyan Katrachev traced the development of Bulgarian-Egyptian relations from antiquity to the present day, highlighting the historical role of Alexandria as a key center and gateway to the Bulgarian presence in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa. He recalled the establishment during the Bulgarian Renaissance of a significant Bulgarian community of merchants, entrepreneurs and artisans in Alexandria and Cairo, the creation of the first trade and consular missions, as well as the establishment of the Bulgarian royal family in the cosmopolitan city in 1946. The Ambassador also noted the upward development of bilateral relations in recent years and emphasized the traditionally close musical and artistic ties between the two countries.