site.btaOrganizers of 10th Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance Festival Present Results of Charity Initiative

The organizers of the 10th travelling festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance - the Bulgarian folklore group Ot Izvora in Lyon, France - presented the  results of the charity initiative held within the festival. Anita Ekenova, the initiator of the idea for the event and the head of Ot Izvora, told BTA that the charity campaign was launched by the folklore group back in January to raise funds to finish the construction of the Garnatskine Konatsi house-museum of Bulgarian folklore in the Rhodope mountains, an initiative of Filip Sinapov. 

A total of EUR 3,115 have been raised, Ekenova specified. The managers and  members of Ot Izvora Association have decided to double that sum. Part of the association's donation comes from the sales of handmade souvenirs - earrings, bracelets, magnets, and pins "Made by Ot Izvora" - at the dance festival. 

On July 2, Sinapov received the EUR 6,230 via bank transfer. The money will be used to build a wall in the inner courtyard of the Garnatskine Konatsi, Ekenova specified. A tree will be planted there to serve as a living memory of the Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance and a symbol of the festival's spirit and common cause.

The 10th edition of the travelling dance festival was held in Lyon, France, from June 6 to 8. It was hosted by Ot Izvora folklore group and brought to Lyon over 100 Bulgarian folklore dance and singing formations from 18 countries. Over 4,000 Bulgarians joined hands in the Grand Horo circle dance initiative, held at Place des Terreaux on June 8. 

As an official media partner of the festival, BTA presented all participants between April and June and covered on site all the events on the festival's programme.