The National Day of the Republic of Bulgaria was celebrated in Geneva with an official reception on March 5, given by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva and his wife in the premises of the World Intellectual Property Organization /WIPO/.

Among the numerous guests at the reception were senior officials of the United Nations, WIPO, the World Trade Organization /WTO/, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the International Labor Organization /ILO/, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)   and other international organizations with headquarters in Geneva, heads and deputy heads of  Permanent Representations of member States of the UN and the WTO, diplomats, Bulgarian citizens working in the UN and other international organizations, representatives of the municipal and cantonal authorities, as well as of the Bulgarian communities in Geneva and Lausanne. In his welcoming speech Bulgaria’s Permanent representative, Ambassador Yuri Sterk emphasized that on 3 March  we celebrate the liberation of Bulgaria from five centuries of Ottoman rule, as well as our homeland’s independence and sovereignty gained with great sacrifices. On this day we pay tribute to the valor, indomitability and sense of unity of Bulgarians, which are the basis of the revived Bulgarian statehood; Ambassador Sterk also highlighted the unleashed creative potential of the Bulgarian people, who have contributed to the progress and common achievements of humankind in arts, science and diplomacy. "On this day, we also emphasize our unwavering commitment to peace, democracy and respect for human rights, to the values and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said Ambassador Sterk. He called for respect for human rights and the rule of law, re-iterating Bulgaria’s support to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in their resistance to the unjustified brutal and illegal aggression of the Russian Federation against their country. The Bulgarian ambassador also condemned the terrorist attacks of Hamas against Israel, calling for the release of all hostages, for free humanitarian access to the civilian population in Gaza and for finding a long-term peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.

In the short musical program of the event, works by prominent Bulgarian composers were presented, played by musicians Stanislava Nankova and Fani Sutreva on flute and accordion.

Guests at the reception enjoyed a tasting of Bulgarian wine, as well as traditional Bulgarian cuisine.