site.btaSofia's National Palace of Culture to Be Illuminated Green for Saint Patrick's Day

Sofia's National Palace of Culture to Be Illuminated Green for Saint Patrick's Day

Sofia, March 17 (Metodi Yordanov of BTA) - Sofia's National Palace of Culture will be illuminated green for St Patrick's Day this year, Ireland's Charge d'Affaires Patrick Coleman told BTA in an interview, in which he also talked about the Irish and Bulgarian economy, bilateral relations, tourism, and his impressions of Bulgaria and football, among other things.

St Patrick's Day Celebrations

For years, there has been this tradition of greening rivers and landmarks to celebrate St Patrick's Day, which has become a more global event recently. For instance, the Sydney Opera House has been greened, as well as the Statue of Christ the Saviour over Rio de Janeiro and the pyramids. This year it is happening with Sofia's National Palace of Culture, Coleman said, adding that the town hall in the southwestern town of Chepelare, which was greened last year, will be illuminated green once again on Thursday.

"There are a number of events, not all organized by the Irish community or the Irish Embassy, but we started last Friday evening with a charity ball," Ireland's Charge d'Affaires explained, specifying that the ball organized by members of the Irish community here was quite successful and its proceeds will go to the CEDAR Foundation, which is a local Bulgarian-based charity assisting people with disabilities.

"On Thursday night, we will have the Ambassador's reception, which will seek to highlight the successes of the Irish economy, give people a taste of Irish food and drink, and serve as a meeting point for members of the Irish community, the Bulgarian diplomatic community, the political community and people from the cultural sector," he explained.

"Also this year, not necessarily a part of the St Patrick's Day celebrations, but it is linked in with it, the Sofia International Film Festival is taking place, which is sponsored by an Irish company. It has been a very successful year for Irish movies with three films being screened. Two of them got best movie nomination for the Oscars. Those are "Brooklyn" and "Room". The third film being screened as part of the Festival, "Mammal", is by the Irish director, Rebecca Daly," he said.

Tourism

Among the things Bulgaria is famous for in Ireland are the Black Sea resorts, such as Sunny Beach. "I think the Ministry of Tourism here is developing a plan for tourism that is looking at a much broader-based tourism at this stage. It's moving away from the traditional Sunny Beach Black Sea resort-type of holiday, and looking at historical tours, archaeological tours, potentially mountain walking and even golfing tours, which is a much broader-based type of holiday," the diplomat noted.

Regarding tourism in his country, Coleman said that Ireland hit a record year in 2015, when some 8.6 million people visited the country, making the sector a major employer. "Some of the schemes that have been developed in Ireland are similar to what's been looked at here. We have what they call the Great West Way, which was developed last year by our Tourist Board. You can sit in the car and drive up our west coast and experience towns and villages and Irish food and culture as you go. This year they also opened up what they call Ireland's Ancient East. There are very historical venues along our East Coast, and you can take a similar trip there. We both have many cities that are major tourist hubs, where people go to experience local culture, food and music. I am sure your Ministry of Tourism is looking at things like that," he said.

Regarding the connectivity between the two countries, Coleman noted that now one can fly from Ireland to Bourgas during the summer months, but starting this fall, Ryan Air are going to open a connection between Dublin and Sofia. There will be flights three days a week, and that will hopefully increase the number of Irish that will be coming here as well as the number of Bulgarians who would like to visit Ireland, Coleman said.

Economy

Commenting on Ireland's success at attracting foreign investments, Coleman explained that, although much of the industry that has come to Ireland is foreign-owned, once investors settle and start their business there, a cluster develops around them, with many of the companies being Irish startups. "There are people working in that sector who see an opportunity and open their own business and build that from the ground," Coleman said, referring to a talk given by Irish economist Prof. Alan Ahearne, who described the phenomenon.

"Bulgaria has quite an intelligent young force and it is investing in education. The Sofia Business Park is probably evidence of the Bulgarian authorities seeking to do something similar here and build up the IT sector. In those circumstances, it is quite possible that in time Irish IT companies will see an opportunity in Bulgaria to invest here," Coleman said. "I am aware that there have been major developments in the Bulgarian IT and pharmaceutical sectors. It's good to see those being developed in Bulgaria because again I think they are areas where there is a major growth occurring on the market," he added.

Discussing bilateral economic relations, the Irish diplomat said that trade between the two countries stood at around 167 million euro last year, consisting of 97 million euro in exports from Ireland and 70 million euro imported from Bulgaria. "I suspect, and I am talking about the Irish side here, that a lot of the Irish produce would be food and drinks. Bulgaria is a major market for Irish beverages. Whiskeys are very popular here, and I think Bulgaria is among the countries where Irish whiskey is on an even keel with Scottish whiskey," he said, adding that Irish beer also enjoys popularity among Bulgarians. Asked if Bulgarian beer is comparable to Irish beer, Coleman said: "I don't think there is anything comparable to Irish beer, but I would say that, wouldn't I?"

Approached about the impact of a potential Brexit on the recently recovered Irish economy, Coleman said that Ireland would want the UK, "as our friend, closest neighbour and partner, to stay a member of the reformed European Union. Our relationship with the UK is closer than with any other Member State of the European Union. We will respect, first and foremost, that this is a decision for UK voters to make on the 23rd of June."

Refugee Crisis

Asked about Ireland's view on the refugee crisis in Europe, given its location on an island at the other end of the continent, the Charge d'Affaires said: "Obviously, we are very sympathetic with those who had to flee their own countries to try and make a better life for themselves. Ireland is not in Schengen. We are part of a common travel area with the United Kingdom. Last year, the Irish Government agreed to accept 4,000 refugees from the various crises. We also look at it in other ways. The Irish Navy was active off the coast of Italy in a number of major rescue events last year. We acknowledge that a lot of people have moved to the continent in a search for a better life. We have also provided funding to those who remain in the countries around Syria and in Syria itself. Last year, the Irish Government gave 13 million euro to assist people both in the refugee camps and those who have been displaced within Syria. Since 2012, the Irish Government has given 43 million euro in humanitarian aid towards addressing the Syrian crisis. The value of that, as we would see it, is that many people will attempt to return to their own country and try to rebuild it after the crisis. If they have a quality of life - and I know it's very difficult in those circumstances, but some quality of life in the refugee camps, if they can get their children educated, then it would be so much easier for them to return back home, when this terrible crisis ends, and help rebuild their country".

Cultural Ties

"There are links in our cultures as well. I know we are very far apart, but there are things such as the bagpipes, which seem to have survived here," Coleman said. "I remember on my very first Saturday here, I was walking from Serdika across towards the main street when I heard a bagpipe and thought: "Oh, this is Irish music and there must be an Irish man playing the bagpipe. Then I came up to see that it was a Bulgarian playing your own version of the bagpipe," the Irish diplomat pointed out, recalling his first encounter with the Bulgarian bagpipe.

The Riverdance, which is an Irish dance that became a major international success during a Eurovision back in the early 1990s, is another crossing point for the two countries' cultures. "I remember the people who did the music and choreography for it, were asked, because it revolutionized Irish dance at the time, where the ideas came from, and I remember them saying that they were influenced by Bulgarian folk music and folk dance. So, we are a great distance apart, and yet we have these things in common," Coleman said.

Referring to the parallels between the two countries' history, the diplomat recalled that Bulgaria was under the Ottoman Empire for 500 years and Ireland has been for considerable time under British rule. "In fact, this year is the centenary of the Irish Uprising against the British, and there are going to be major celebrations and commemorations in Ireland," he said, explaining that the uprising commemorations tend to follow the St Patrick's Day festival because it started on Easter Monday 100 years ago.

"In terms of cultural events, last year for the first time we participated in the Sofia International Science Festival. There was a visit here by a young Irish scientist - Padraig Flood and we are hoping to bring here another young Irish scientist this year. We also participated last year in the One Architecture Week in Plovdiv, and this year we are hoping to participate in the One Design Week with an exhibition of Irish design products, as well as to bring an Irish speaker to the fair," Coleman said, listing Ireland's participation in cultural events in Bulgaria.

Impressions of Bulgaria

Coleman is very positively impressed by Bulgaria. "I have enjoyed my stay to date. I've spent most of time in Sofia, but I've got out to a few corners of Bulgaria. I've been to Bourgas, the Rhodope Mountains, Plovdiv and Veliko Turnovo. They are all very impressive in their own way, particularly the towns of Sozopol and Nessebur, which are very attractive. I think Sofia, where I spend most of my time, is a very safe city. I tend to walk a lot, and I can be out quite late at night. I think it is a very safe city. I like the way that when archaeological excavations are finished, the ruins are left there, and people walk by and become conscious that this is an old Roman city," he said.

Football

According to Coleman, football and football players are what Bulgaria is most known for in Ireland. "Hristo Stoichkov and Dimitar Berbatov, would be known to Irish people, and also that famous Bulgarian team that went so far in the 1994 World Cup. For as long as I have been around this planet, for years Ireland kept getting beaten by Bulgaria in international football competitions. The irony is that when we actually qualified for our first one, it was because Scotland beat you with a last-minute goal in that particular competition, and we got in the back door, but that's football," he concluded.