News - Canada, Ottawa, Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria

On March 1, 2026, the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Ottawa held a Flag Raising Ceremony in front of Ottawa City Hall to commemorate the National Day of Bulgaria – March 3rd. Representatives of the Bulgarian community, local citizens, officials from Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the federal Parliament of Canada attended the event. The ceremony was held with the kind hospitality of the City of Ottawa.

Before the official start of the event, the guests were presented with “martenitsa” by the dancers of the ensemble “Izvorche”, dressed in Bulgarian national costumes.

After the performance of the national anthems of Bulgaria and Canada and the raising of the Bulgarian flag, Mr. Wilson Lo, Deputy Mayor of the Canadian capital, extended greetings to the Bulgarian community on this important occasion, on behalf of the Mayor of Ottawa Mr. Mark Sutcliffe. He also highlighted the contribution of the Bulgarian community to the development of the city.

On behalf of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ambassador Plamen Georgiev congratulated all Bulgarians with the National Day and emphasized the historical significance of March 3rd and the self-sacrifice of the thousands of known and unknown compatriots who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of our country. The Ambassador further noted that this day unifies all Bulgarians around the world and called on to remember our history and identity. He also highlighted the contribution of the Bulgarian community in Canada to enriching the country's traditions and cultural diversity, as well as to developing the ties between the two nations. Ambassador Georgiev emphasized the upward trend in the Bulgaria-Canada relations, which mark their 60^th anniversary in 2026 and highlighted the need to further strengthen the partnership between our two countries, including in the context of the growing global challenges.

Mrs. Giovanna Mingarelli, Member of the Canadian Parliament and Co-Chair of the Canada-Bulgaria Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, addressed the guests. She congratulated the Bulgarian community with the National Day and highlighted the importance of the Bulgarian diaspora from the National capital region for the development of local communities.

Mr. Anton Minkov, President of the Bulgarian Community in Ottawa-Gatineau Capital Region, also addressed the guests. He emphasized the significance of March 3rd in the Bulgarian history and the difficulties overcome by our ancestors on their path to achieving freedom.

Mrs. Romina Chencheva, member of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Community in Ottawa-Gatineau Capital Region and a representative of the local young Bulgarian professionals, was Master of the Ceremony.