Bulgarian Embassy in Yerevan presents photographic exhibition about Plovdiv, the European Capital of Culture
03 May 2019 News
On March 3, the Embassy of Bulgaria in Armenia organized the opening of the exhibition ‘Plovdiv, the European Capital of Culture 2019, through the lens of a young Armenian photographer’ in the city of Vanadzor, Lori Province, Armenia.
The exhibition, which showcases works by the Armenian photographer Raffi Youredjian, is a continuation of a project implemented by the Embassy within the framework of the 2018 Communication Program. The photos were displayed at the State University in Yerevan in December 2018, to an extremely high public acclaim. This prompted the Embassy to organize another showing of the exhibition, this time in Vanadzor, as part of the approved projects within the 2019 Communication Strategy. In pursuit of that initiative, the Embassy has been cooperating with local partners in Vanadzor: the Museum of Fine Arts, the department in charge of culture in the municipal administration and the office of the Provincial Governor of Lori. The exhibition was opened as a temporary exposition in the museum hall.
Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Andrey Gukasyan, Governor of Lori Province, Mr. Mamikon Aslanyan, Mayor of Vanadzor, municipality officials, members of the cultural community, citizens of Vanadzor and neighboring towns. Also in attendance were caregivers and social workers from the family-type small-group children’s home in Vanadzor, established with the financial support of Bulgaria. The event was inaugurated by Mr. Papag Alonyan, curator of the Museum, who expressed his strong appreciation for the opportunity to partner with the Embassy of Bulgaria on such a satisfying occasion.
In her address to the attendees, Ambassador Maria Pavlova briefed them on the European Capital of Culture program and its goals of bringing the peoples of Europe closer together by emphasizing their belonging to the common European cultural heritage. In that context, she expressed her satisfaction that Plovdiv was the first Bulgarian city selected to be European Capital of Culture for 2019. Ambassador Pavlova outlined the multicultural profile and the diverse cultural and historical heritage of Plovdiv, accumulated over the centuries owing to the contributions of many different peoples that inhabited the lands of Bulgaria. She also noted the special role and contribution of the Armenian community to the economic, public and cultural life of that city.
The Provincial Governor of Lori, Mr. Gukasyan, also delivered a welcoming address to the attendees. He gave warm thanks to the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria for the opportunity given to the cultural community in Vanadzor to get a glimpse of the sights of Plovdiv and the traditions and rituals of the Armenian community there. He also noted that the Bulgarian and the Armenian people are historically and culturally close, and that they share common heroes who fought for their respective freedoms.
The Bishop of Vanadzor also attended the opening of the exhibition; he gave his blessing to the participants in the event and his thanks to the Bulgarian Embassy for organizing it.
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