The second art graffiti of the MFA street art competition ‘Bulgaria — More Beautiful in NATO’ was opened in Varna
27 November 2024 News
The second of the five art graffiti awarded in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ street art competition ‘Bulgaria — More Beautiful in NATO’ was unveiled today in Varna with a solemn ceremony in the presence of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nevyana Miteva, Mayor of Varna Blagomir Kotsev, Deputy Mayor Pavel Popov, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Bulgaria H. E. Miguel Alonso Berrio and Commander of the Naval Forces — Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov.
In her address at the ceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Nevyana Miteva recalled that this year NATO celebrates 75 years since its founding and Bulgaria celebrates 20 years since joining this family of democratic societies, which together guarantee the stability and security of each member state. ‘Today, as we stand in front of this mural, I send you a message to remember that Bulgaria is not only part of NATO. It is an active participant, a carrier of ideas and values that strengthen and enrich the Alliance, precisely with national characteristics. This work is a reminder that together we are stronger, but it is also a reminder that by joining this community of states two decades ago, Bulgaria not only raised its prestige on the international stage and opened its way to the EU, but also firmly chose the civilizational path of democratic societies’, Deputy Minister Miteva emphasised.
Nevyana Miteva expressed her gratitude on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Ivan Kondov and on her own behalf to the Mayor of the city and the team of the Varna Municipality for the realization of the mural.
‘It is a great honour for me to unveil this mural on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to NATO. We should not take our membership in the Alliance for granted, but realise that we have to fight every day for the stability and security of our country. This can only be done by uniting our efforts’, the Mayor of Varna Blagomir Kotsev said in his address.
‘Our first steps towards NATO membership were not on land, they were at sea. Gradually these steps became wider, they became paces and if then we were led hand in hand, today we are walking hand in hand with our NATO allies on a path that we have chosen ourselves and that leads us to prosperity and progress’, the Commander of the Naval Forces —Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov underlined.
The fact that this work of street art was vandalised by unknown persons the night before its official opening did not prevent the ceremony from taking place. Thanks to the immediate reaction of the author of the street art project — the talented artist Ivan Yankov, and with the joint efforts of the MFA and the Municipality of Varna, its integrity and appearance were successfully restored in time for the start of the ceremony, and all present residents and guests of the city, young people, cadets from the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, students and academics were able to enjoy the celebration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ street art competition ‘Bulgaria — More Beautiful in NATO’ is part of the National Programme of Initiatives to celebrate in 2024 the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's NATO membership.