The Confucius Institute in Sofia Have Participated In the Kazanlak Rose Festival Celebration

On June 2nd 2024, Bulgaria's annual Rose Festival parade was held in Kazanlak - the so-called Rose Capital of Bulgaria.Mrs Dai Qingli - the Chinese Ambassador in Bulgaria, leaders of the Kazanlak Municipality, the minister of tourism of Bulgaria, the minister of education of Bulgaria, foreign ambassadors, local citizens and tourists from all over the world have attended the Kazanlak Rose Festival 2024. The Sofia Confucius Institute has been invited by the organizers to participate in the parade. They have presented a wonderful cultural program.
On the parade day, young Bulgarian people dressed in special costumes, have been singing and dancing with vitality and enthusiasm. The Confucius Institute in Sofia have been a bright part of the parade. Mrs Aksinia Koleva - the Bulgarian director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia and Prof. Chen Ying - the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, have been leading the parade. The Chinese teachers who have been wearing red tops with the Confucius Institute logo on them, have been waving Tai Ji fans and have been greeting the visitors on both sides of the street with a smily “Hello”, adding further to the warm atmosphere of the parade. The hosts of the event have announced the contribution of the Confucius Institute in Sofia in promoting the Chinese language teaching in Bulgaria and the humanistic exchanges between China and Bulgaria to the audience.
In the stage performances which have followed the parade, the Confucius Institute in Sofia have presented a well-prepared hulusi flute solo named Bamboo Leaves Under the Moonlight and a popular traditional dance from the Northeastern region of China called Longing. Both performances have abounded in traditional Chinese art characteristics and have been welcomed by a warm applause from the audience. The activities have demonstrated the high spirit and the vitality of the Confucius Institute in Sofia. Moreover, they have also demonstrated the dialogue and the harmony between the Chinese culture and the Bulgarian traditional festivals.
Launched in 1903, the Bulgarian Rose Festival has a 121-year history and is held on the first Sunday of June every year. The festival comprises the crowning of the Rose Queen, the rose picking activity, the parade and the cultural performances on stage, thus attracting tourists from all over the world to participate in it.

Confucius Institute in Sofia
Text: Chen Chen
Photos: Huang Jun
Editors: Prof. Chen Ying, Aksinia Koleva, Chen Chen
English translation: Maya Kostadinova

Picture 1: Sofia Confucius Institute have taken part in the rose festival parade.

Picture 2: A popular dance from the Northeastern region of China in the parade.

Picture 3: Hulusi flute solo performance of the Bamboo Leaves In the Moonlight tune.

Picture 4: Group photo at the event.