Bulgaria celebrated the International Day of the Francophonie
28 March 2018 News
In his address commemorating the 25th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to the International Organisation of La Francophonie, Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Shterk welcomed guests at the annual reception given by the ministry on the International Day of La Francophonie. The March 20th reception has become a tradition consistently respected by Bulgaria since the country's accession to the Francophonie a quarter of a century ago.
"Who would have imagined back in 1993 that Bulgaria and Romania’s admission would trigger a remarkable Franconian boom in Europe, exploding the number of European Francophonie members from five all the way to today's 29," said the deputy minister. He also argued that the anniversary should be a time of stocktaking made even more necessary by our country’s being a EU and NATO member today.
"Back in the early 1990s, when the Cold War had just ended and Europe was still fragmented, it was of vital importance for Bulgaria to take a seat in a community of countries based on the values of democracy, solidarity, the rule of law and respect for human rights," Shterk pointed out.
Shterk added that the Francophonie membership had yet another aspect for Bulgaria: it was a bridge to a more dynamic cooperation with countries like France, Belgium and Switzerland, which back in late 19th century had provided a model for constituting the modern Bulgarian state.
"Our accession to the Francophonie 25 years ago ushered Bulgaria symbolically back to the roots of its history and helped it rediscover its universal values," he argued. Shterk thanked the guests – ambassadors from the Ambassadors Group of the Francophonie countries in Bulgaria and representatives of the Bulgarian political, cultural and academic elite related to the Francophonie.
Shterk also voiced his special thanks to the teachers of French across the country, whose work contributes to the shaping of a new generation of Bulgarians – Frencophones and Europeans.
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