site.btaBulgaria Represented at Hiroshima Memorial and Peace Ceremony

Bulgaria was represented by Petar Nikolaev, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo, at Thursday’s Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima commemorating the victims of the atomic bombing, the Bulgarian diplomatic mission said on Facebook.

On Wednesday, Nikolaev, his wife Antoaneta Nikolaeva, and representatives of the diplomatic corps laid flowers at the Memorial to the Victims of the Atomic Bombing.

The commemorative ceremony began on Thursday. Addresses were delivered by Hiroshima City Council Chairperson Norihiko Hachijo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Hiroshima Prefecture Governor Mika Yokota.

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui read out a Peace Declaration, while primary school children from the city delivered a Peace Pledge, in which they spoke out against any repetition of the tragedy of the atomic bombing. A message on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also read out.

"At exactly 8:15 a.m., a minute of silence was observed in memory of the victims and those affected," the Bulgarian Embassy said in its post.

Later the same day, Nikolaev also took part in a meeting with students from Hiroshima. They handed peace messages to the members of the diplomatic corps.