20260607 Confucius Institute in Sofia Participated in the Kazanlak Rose Festival Celebrations

On June 7, the 123rd Rose Festival of Bulgaria officially opened in the “Valley of Roses” city of Kazanlak. Iliana Iotova, President of Bulgaria; Mariela Modeva, Deputy Minister of Tourism; Kaloyan Damyanov, Governor of the Stara Zagora Region; Nikolay Zlatanov, Chairman of the Kazanlak Municipal Council; and Galina Stoyanova, Mayor of Kazanlak, along with government officials from other cities, diplomatic representatives in Bulgaria, Bulgarian citizens, and international tourists, attended this year’s festival. The Confucius Institute in Sofia was invited by the organizers to take part in the festival parade and performance activities.

The Confucius Institute formation was led by Chinese Director Chen Ying. Teachers and students, dressed in traditional Chinese clothing such as Hanfu and qipao, appeared in the parade, showcasing the spirit and presence of Chinese language teachers and learners to spectators along the main street and to guests on the main stage. The Confucius Institute delegation joined international groups from Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Vietnam, and other countries to form the international parade. This year, the number of participants in the festival parade reached a record high of over 10,000 people.

Students from the Confucius Classroom at Maxim Gorky Secondary School in Stara Zagora, affiliated with the Confucius Institute in Sofia, also participated in the festival’s cultural performances, presenting the achievements of their Chinese language education. Twelfth-grade student Stefani Todorova performed the Chinese song “The Sea of Stars,” while ninth-grade students Karina Karpuzova, Vanesa Dimova, and Teodora Butreva performed the Chinese dance „The Goddess Splits the Sky”. Their outstanding performances received warm applause from the audience.

The Kazanlak Rose Festival, which began in 1903, originated as a folk celebration of the flower harvest and has gradually evolved into a national celebration of Bulgaria. The Confucius Institute in Sofia has been invited to participate in this grand event for many consecutive years. It not only builds a bridge of friendship between China and Bulgaria amid the fragrance of roses and allows visitors from around the world to experience the unique charm of Chinese culture, but also further enhances the public visibility of the Confucius Institute.

Source: Confucius Institute in Sofia

Text: Ding Chen

Photos: Zhang Kaiyue, Yang Kaiyuan, Li Xinmei

Reviewers: Chen Ying, Aksiniya Koleva

English translation: Dima Pironkova