Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria’s Consul General in Munich Stefan Ionkov attended the opening ceremony of the 11th edition of the Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling festival in Munich, Germany, on Friday. “Bulgaria lives wherever there are people who preserve its spirit, its music and its dances,” he said.
Ionkov said that this stage is not merely a place for meeting – it is becoming “a place where generations, families, parents, teachers, children, friends and all those who carry Bulgaria in their hearts meet, regardless of where they live”. The Consul General expressed his appreciation, gratitude and admiration to the hosts from Lazarka Ensemble, who, according to him, have made this event possible through great effort, dedication and love.
“Thanks to their energy, Munich today is hosting one of the most beautiful images of Bulgaria. The image of the living, colourful, strong and united Bulgarian community. Thanks also go to all participants, to all of you – ladies and gentlemen, ensembles, volunteers, partners and guests who are here today,” Ionkov added.
“Your presence shows that Bulgarian culture is not merely a legacy from the past. It is a living force that brings people together, inspires and builds bridges. It is a great honour for the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Munich to stand beside you during this celebration. Our task is not only to represent the State, but also to remain close to you, to your initiatives, to the Bulgarian community, to its work, its achievements and its future here in Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg,” he also said.
The event was also attended by Munich Deputy Mayor Verena Dietl, President’s Secretary for Culture, Education, and Relations with Bulgarians Abroad Milena Dimitrova, Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad Executive Director Raina Mandzhukova, Western and Central European Metropolitan Anthony, Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev, the event’s initiator and dance troupe Ot Izvora director Anita Ekenova, as well as Association of Bulgarian Folklore Ensembles Abroad Chair Radoslava Nedyalkova.
The travelling gathering “Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance” was created as a forum for amateur Bulgarian folklore ensembles active outside Bulgaria. Since its launch in 2015, the festival has been hosted in several European cities, reflecting the growing network of Bulgarian cultural communities abroad and their efforts to preserve national traditions through music and dance.
Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance is an event organized by and for amateur folklore groups performing outside Bulgaria. The gathering was initiated by the Ot Izvora group in Lyon, which hosted both the inaugural edition in 2015 and the 10th edition in 2025. Over the years, the festival has been held in Montpellier (2016), Gandia (2017), Milan (2018), La Nucia (2019), Verona (2020), Copenhagen (2022), Prague (2023) and Palma de Mallorca (2024). Consul General in Munich Hails Bulgarian Culture as Force That Brings People Together, Builds Bridges 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-15 15:17:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law