News - Pakistan, Islamabad, Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria

On 25 November 2025, a photo exhibition dedicated to the ancient treasures of Pakistan and Bulgaria was inaugurated at the COMSATS University gallery in Islamabad. The event - a joint initiative of the Bulgarian Embassy in Islamabad and COMSATS University – was part of the programme marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

The exhibition aimed to present the rich cultural and historical heritage of both countries. Pakistan participated with photographs of artefacts from the period of the ancient Gandhara civilization and the spread of Buddhism in what are now the northern and northwestern parts of the country, as well as with images of exhibits from the early Islamic period. The Bulgarian section included panels featuring Thracian gold and silver objects from the photo exhibition “The Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria,” prepared by a team of the Institute of Balkan Studies with Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and showcased in Pakistan with the assistance of the State Institute for Culture to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, members of the diplomatic corps in Islamabad, the academic leadership and staff of COMSATS University, as well as students attended the opening ceremony.

In their addresses to the guests, Ambassador Irena Gancheva and Prof. Dr. Sohail Asghar, Campus in-Charge of COMSATS University Islamabad, highlighted the importance of such events, which help build bridges where geographical distances, language, or the course of history might otherwise stand in the way. They conveyed the message that by sharing our cultural and historical heritage, we invest in a future where unity and mutual understanding contribute to the creation of a better world. In this context, and on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Pakistan, the two sides expressed their hope for further strengthening and developing the bilateral contacts and exchanges both in the field of culture and in all other areas of mutual interest.