site.bta13 Nations Present Asian Culture at Festival in Sofia

Sofia, July 2 (BTA) - A daylong Asian Festival took place n Sofia's Prince Boris Gardens Park on Sunday, with thirteen Asian countries which have diplomatic missions in Bulgaria presenting their traditions to the local audience.

The event was opened by Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova and by Ambassadors Sri Astari Rasjid of Indonesia and Ahmed Al Madbuh of Palestine.

Ambassador Rasjid said that the Festival improved contacts between the Asian communities in Sofia and, moreover, enables Asia to present itself and come closer to Bulgaria through its culture, sports, cuisine and tourism.

Ambassador Al Madbuh pointed out that the ambassadors have long been considering this event and hope for a second edition next year.

Iotova said: "All countries will have an ally in the person of the President and in my person, so that there could be far more such festivals, so that we could present the culture of all those countries with which Bulgaria maintains good diplomatic relations."
 
The participating countries were China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, South Korea, Syria, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Their ambassadors were present at the opening, along with the ambassadors of Croatia, Brazil, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Each country had prepared a set of performances to be staged by its nationals.
Spectators enjoyed dance, music, art and cuisine typical of Asian civilization. They also had a chance to join over 30 activities and thus experience the magic of Asian culture.

There was a lottery in which the top prize was two tickets to an Asian destination of the winners' own choice. The money raised during the lottery will be donated to charity via the International Women's Club, which was a partner to the Asian Festival.

The arts featured during the event included folk dance and music performed in traditional Asian costumes. Cooking demonstrations taught visitors curious details about how to cook exotic food and specific things about each country. Children were entertained to a variety of games and amusements. Specialized studios offered calligraphy courses.

This first Asian Festival in Sofia was organized with the support of the Foreign Ministry's State Institute for Culture, the Tourism Ministry, Sofia City Hall, and the International Ladies' Club.