The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria celebrates Francophonie Month with an exhibition and a seminar dedicated to strong women
On the occasion of Francophonie Month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the “Public Donation Fund – Sliven” Foundation presented the collective exhibition “Strong Women”. The exhibition presents works by participants in the “Confident and Successful – Professional Perspectives for Vulnerable Women in Sliven” project, which has received funding from the 6thedition of the “La Francophonie avec Elles” fund of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
At the opening of the exhibition on 18th March, Ms. Hristiyana Grozdanova, Director of the Human Rights Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the ability of art diplomacy to affect real change in the lives of people. She highlighted the success the program “La Francophonie avec Elles” has so far enjoyed – established in 2020, with 54 projects in 36 countries for a total value of over 3 million euro, reaching more than 9 thousand women. H.E. Zakia El Midaoui, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Bulgaria, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Chairwoman of the Group of Francophone Ambassadors, in turn thanked Ms. Grozdanova, the a.i. Director of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Yavor Koynakov, Ms. Aksinia Boneva and Ms. Dora Kurshumova. Ambassador Midaoui pointed to art as a potential diplomatic lever for trust and dignity. “It is precisely the values that Francophonie promotes – strength, creativity and hope – that enable the growth of solidarity, inclusion, equal opportunities and strengthening of the social, economic and cultural independence of women in our days,” she said. Dora Kurshumova, who is Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Public Donation Fund – Sliven and a participating artist, also expressed her thanks to the co-organisers of the exhibition.
Following the exhibition, a seminar on the opportunities and possibilities for applying for funding with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie took place at the "Mission" gallery at the State Institute for Culture. The seminar was organised by Ms. Aksinia Boneva from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The presentation was delivered by Ms. Elise Zahi, representative of the Regional Center of La Francophonie for Central and Eastern Europe - Bucharest. She detailed the opportunities for financing projects of the International Organization of La Francophonie in various fields - social work, culture, translation work, ecology, journalism and disinformation.
The event highlighted the importance of cooperation between institutions, the civil sector and international partners in supporting the rights and opportunities for women in modern society. By uniting art, diplomacy and the exchange of good practices, the "Strong Women" initiative showed how cultural and social projects can be a driver of change and inspiration. Francophonie Month once again reaffirmed the values of solidarity, equality and mutual understanding, which continue to be the foundation of common efforts for a better and more inclusive future.