site.btaFirst Bulgarian Folklore Night Held in Austria

The first evening dedicated to Bulgarian folklore in Austria took place on April 26 in Lieboch, in the federal state of Styria, the Bulgarian Embassy in Vienna announced in a Facebook post. The event was organized by the dance and cultural association Na Horoto v Graz and featured 12 dance and vocal groups from across Austria, including from Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck.

Among the official guests were Bulgarian Ambassador Desislava Naydenova-Gospodinova, the Executive Director of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, Rayna Mandzhukova, and Lieboch Mayor Stefan Hilmerich.

In her welcome speech, Ambassador Naydenova highlighted that Bulgarian folklore reflects the richness of the nation’s spirit, way of life, historical heritage, folk wisdom, and values. She emphasized that preserving Bulgarian traditions, customs, songs, and dances contributes to maintaining Bulgarian identity. She expressed gratitude to the representatives of all cultural associations for their work in this area and for promoting Bulgarian culture and the beauty of Bulgarian folklore.

Rayna Mandzhukova underlined the role of Bulgarian cultural associations abroad in preserving the Bulgarian spirit and traditions, passing on the love for folklore, and promoting Bulgarian culture. She reaffirmed the commitment of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad to support Bulgarian folklore ensembles and cultural organizations.