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50 years of diplomatic relations Bulgaria and Australia

20 July 2022 Events and Discussions

In 2022, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Australia.

This milestone is a special opportunity for both countries to look at the achievements and to deepen and broaden the bilateral relationship in the areas of policy, trade and economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

While diplomatic relations were officially established on April 5, 1972, the history of contacts between Bulgaria and Australia goes all the way back to the end of the 19th century, when the first Bulgarian immigrants arrived in Australia. Today, our community in Australia, reaching over 10,000 people, is the largest Bulgarian diaspora in the Asia-Pacific region. It proudly contributes to the successful development of the multicultural Australian society, while also carefully preserving its Bulgarian traditions, passing them down from generation to generation. The Bulgarian community in Australia is an important bridge connecting the two geographically distant but friendly countries with shared values ​​and a desire for further cooperation.

A number of events and projects will mark this anniversary throughout 2022. On April 5, Canberra's iconic National Carillon on Lake Burley Griffin was illuminated with the colours of the Bulgarian flag. The Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria H.E. Ms Iliana Yotova congratulated our compatriots in Australia on the occasion of the anniversary via video message.

The anniversary was marked during celebrations of the Bulgarian communities in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. The second Bulgarian folklore festival in Australia is planned for September. A street in the Macnamara suburb in the Australian Capital Territory will be named after the Bulgarian scientist Prof. Stefan Kanev – a pioneer in the field of solar energy.

A number of official representatives from both countries have given their contribution to the friendly relations between Bulgaria and Australia. However, we cannot get a complete picture of this friendship without acknowledging the ties between Bulgarians and Australians and the stories that connect them to each other and to the country they call a second home. Therefore, on the occasion of the anniversary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria launched the "50 stories" project, which presents a number of personal accounts of first encounters with Australia or Bulgaria, about what excites and inspires these people, about their contribution to the culture and society of the other country.

The Australian Embassy has also created a special page on its website dedicated to the anniversary. There are archive photos presenting the history of our diplomatic relations, a number of them provided by the Bulgarian News Agency.

More information can be found on this page, which is dedicated to the anniversary.

 

50 stories - Prof. Natalia Nikolova

50 stories - Prof. Natalia Nikolova

Professor in Decision Sciences, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania
10 August 2022
50 stories - Prof. Rumen Penin

50 stories - Prof. Rumen Penin

Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Faculty of Geology and Geography Department of Landscape Ecology and Environment Protection
10 August 2022
50 stories - Boriana Grozeva

50 stories - Boriana Grozeva

Doctor of Medicine
25 July 2022
50 stories - Folk Group Bulgari

50 stories - Folk Group Bulgari

Artistic Director Sonya Arabadjieva
25 July 2022
50 stories - Sonya Arabadjieva

50 stories - Sonya Arabadjieva

Artistic Director of Folk Group Bulgari
25 July 2022
50 stories - Radost Racheva

50 stories - Radost Racheva

Photographer and author of the book “The Bulgarians of Melbourne”
25 July 2022
50 stories - Gantcho Taskov

50 stories - Gantcho Taskov

The King of Flowers
25 July 2022
50 stories - Dimitar Kovatchev

50 stories - Dimitar Kovatchev

Food Products Supplier
25 July 2022
50 stories - Dr Biliana Agin

50 stories - Dr Biliana Agin

Clinical Psychologist
25 July 2022
 50 stories - Billie Stefan

50 stories - Billie Stefan

Artist
25 July 2022
50 stories - Vanya Dyulgerova

50 stories - Vanya Dyulgerova

Teacher
25 July 2022
50 stories - Alexander Popov

50 stories - Alexander Popov

Parish Priest at the Bulgarian church St. St. Cyril and Methodius
25 July 2022
50 stories - Valia Gianinska

50 stories - Valia Gianinska

Folk Music Singer
25 July 2022
50 stories - Yotko Vasilev

50 stories - Yotko Vasilev

Travel enthusiast
25 July 2022
50 stories - Kostadin Dimitrov

50 stories - Kostadin Dimitrov

Wine technologist and artisan cheese maker
25 July 2022
50 stories - Krasimir Bekyarov

50 stories - Krasimir Bekyarov

Ceramics artist
25 July 2022
50 stories - Filli Ladgman

50 stories - Filli Ladgman

Producer and presenter of the Bulgarian language radio program at SBS - Australia
25 July 2022
50 stories - Katrin Aladjova

50 stories - Katrin Aladjova

Chess Champion
25 July 2022
50 stories - Elena Kamburoff

50 stories - Elena Kamburoff

Supporting the new Bulgarian immigrants to Australia
25 July 2022
50 stories - Dr. Maria Staykova

50 stories - Dr. Maria Staykova

Biochemist, neuroimmunologist and writer
25 July 2022
50 stories - Elena Golakova Brooks

50 stories - Elena Golakova Brooks

From Bulgaria to one of Australian wine’s brightest winemaking stars
25 July 2022
50 stories - Duo „Zhiva Voda“

50 stories - Duo „Zhiva Voda“

Bulgarian song Down Under: A story about the magic of Bulgarian folklore and the magicians Reni and Ann
25 July 2022
50 stories - Dora Marinova

50 stories - Dora Marinova

Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University
25 July 2022
50 stories - Stefan Kozhuharov

50 stories - Stefan Kozhuharov

One of the founding fathers for the Bulgarian community in New South Wales
25 July 2022
50 stories - Gabriel Slaven

50 stories - Gabriel Slaven

Ballet dancer and IT specialist
25 July 2022
50 stories - Bulgarian Australian Business Council

50 stories - Bulgarian Australian Business Council

Building bridges between Bulgarian and Australian businesses
25 July 2022
50 stories - Yavor Konstantinov

50 stories - Yavor Konstantinov

Secretary of the church community board at the Bulgarian church St. St. Cyril and Methodius, Melbourne, founded 1950, and Bulgarian elections coordinator for Melbourne polling station 2014-2021
25 July 2022
50 stories - Dr. Payam Forghani

50 stories - Dr. Payam Forghani

Dental Medicine Doctor
25 July 2022
50 stories - Petko (Peter) Kopcheff

50 stories - Petko (Peter) Kopcheff

A pioneer for the Bulgarian community in South Australia
25 July 2022
50 stories - Izabela Shopova

50 stories - Izabela Shopova

Writer and traveler
25 July 2022
50 stories - Irena Nikolova

50 stories - Irena Nikolova

Network manager at Google
25 July 2022
50 stories -  Diana Koprinkova

50 stories - Diana Koprinkova

Co-host of the Bulgarian radio program on SBS Australia
25 July 2022
50 stories - Bulgaria and Folk Dance Canberra

50 stories - Bulgaria and Folk Dance Canberra

Building bridges between Australia and Bulgaria through the magic of folklore
25 July 2022
50 stories - Anna Gertrude Travali (nee Crofts)

50 stories - Anna Gertrude Travali (nee Crofts)

In love with Bulgarian folk dance
25 July 2022
Australia-Bulgaria: 50 years of Diplomatic Relations – a link to the web page of the Embassy of Australia

Australia-Bulgaria: 50 years of Diplomatic Relations – a link to the web page of the Embassy of Australia

The Embassy of Australia in Athens has created a special web page dedicated to the anniversary with archive photos and documents presenting the history of the bilateral relations.
05 May 2022
50 years of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Australia

50 years of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Australia

Deputy Minister Velislava Petrova received Australia's ambassador to Bulgaria, Arthur Spyrou. The meeting was on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Australia.
05 May 2022
An interview by Svetlozar Panov, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of Bulgaria in Australia, on the occasion of the anniversary

An interview by Svetlozar Panov, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of Bulgaria in Australia, on the occasion of the anniversary

The Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of Bulgaria in Australia Svetlozar Panov gave an interview to the Bulgarian radio-program at SBS-Australia on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Australia. The interview can be listened at the following link:
13 April 2022
Bulgarians and Australians celebrated in Canberra the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries

Bulgarians and Australians celebrated in Canberra the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries

On April 5, Bulgarians and Australians celebrated, at the invitation of the Bulgarian Embassy in Canberra, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Bulgaria. The famous National Carillon on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin was illuminated with the colors of the Bulgarian flag.
06 April 2022

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