site.btaBulgaria's Foreign Minister Meets Niagara Falls, Ontario Mayor

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova met with Niagara Falls, Ontario Mayor Jim Diodati, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit took place on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Canada, the Ministry said on its website on Friday.

Petrova and Diodati expressed confidence that the visit would contribute to the expansion of bilateral ties and the further development of cooperation in areas of shared interest, including trade and investment, science and technology, innovation, culture, tourism and people-to-people contacts.

Mayor Diodati received high praise for his personal commitment to supporting initiatives of the large Bulgarian community in the city of Niagara Falls and for his consistent backing of the promotion of Bulgarian culture and traditions in Canada. The two also highlighted the strong contribution of the Bulgarian community in Canada to the country's economic, social and cultural life, and to strengthening bilateral relations. They discussed opportunities for exchanging best practices in tourism and for building a recognizable Brand Bulgaria internationally.

Petrova noted the success of Niagara Falls as a world-famous tourist destination, while Diodati stressed Bulgaria's significant potential in tourism, given its natural landmarks and rich cultural heritage. He said Bulgaria has unique advantages and resources that deserve wider international recognition and could help establish it as a very attractive destination for tourism, investment and cultural exchange.

Diodati also said that thanks to the active Bulgarian community in Canada, emblematic Bulgarian products such as the rose and yoghurt are gaining popularity. He presented Petrova with a painting of Niagara Falls.

With Diodati's support, the Niagara Falls waterfall is illuminated in the colours of the Bulgarian national flag every year on Bulgaria's National Day, March 3.

This year, Bulgaria's Consulate General in Toronto organized ceremonial flag-raising events for March 3 in several Canadian cities, including Niagara Falls.