Events on the occasion of 20 years of Bulgaria's NATO accession begin with a conference and a gala concert
28 March 2024 News
In the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Bulgaria celebrates 20 years since joining the world's most successful political and military alliance. As a family of shared values, NATO today guarantees the peace and security of 32 member countries and over a billion citizens.
In 2004, on 29 March, Bulgaria, together with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia officially joined the Alliance. This is a key historic moment because NATO provides the most significant guarantees for our independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, contributing to the free and democratic development of our country. The unity of the Alliance and a strong transatlantic bond are important prerequisites for the future and prosperity of the Allies, because over the years we have proven that only together we can tackle crises, challenges and security threats.
Under the auspices of the Government, on 29 March the Diplomatic Institute of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, together with the Information Centre of the Ministry of Defence, the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria and the Sofia Security Forum are organising a national conference at the Central Military Club on ‘20 Years Bulgaria in NATO”: Because we are stronger together’.
The celebration of the anniversary will continue with a solemn concert ‘20 years Bulgaria in NATO’, organized by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will take place at 06.00 pm on the Knyaz Aleksander I square. It will be attended by the Representative Brass Band of the National Guards Unit and performers from the Armed Forces Representative Ensemble of the National Guard and the NATO Jazz Band, which is visiting Bulgaria for the first time. The Jazz Band is part of the International Orchestra of the Supreme Headquarters of the NATO Joint Forces Europe (SHAPE). The concert will open with a joint performance of the anthem of the Republic of Bulgaria and the NATO anthem.
We invite everyone to come and celebrate the two significant anniversaries together. Thanks to the media partnership with the Bulgarian National Television, the concert will be broadcast live and all Bulgarian citizens can join the celebration.
Dear members of the media, for coverage of the event, please take your seats at 05.30 pm. Admission to the designated media areas will be subject to presentation of a press badge and ID.
The ‘National Programme of Initiatives to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria’s NATO membership in 2024’ approved by the Council of Ministers envisages a large number and variety of events — conferences, exhibitions, open days, sports events — to be held in 2024. On the eve of the anniversary, on 28 March, at 11.00 am, the National Museum of Military History will open the exhibition ‘The Bulgarian Army — 20 years part of NATO’, and from 2 to 4 April the Military Academy ‘Georgi Stoykov Rakovski’ will organize the international conference ‘20 years Bulgaria in NATO. 20 years of NATO in Bulgaria’.