Vietnam makes strong cultural mark at 2026 Asian Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria
WVR - On June 13-14, the Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria participated in the 2026 Asia Festival held at South Park, Sofia's capital, with a booth showcasing Vietnam's culture, tourism, cuisine, and unique handicraft products.
Latest
 |
| Officials, staff, and spouses of the Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria introducing Vietnamese culture at the event. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
This is one of the largest annual international cultural events in Bulgaria, attracting over 20,000 visitors, including locals, international tourists, and the Asian community living and working in Bulgaria.
With the theme “Together in Friendship and Harmony”, this year's festival brought together Asian diplomatic missions in Sofia, including Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Australia, along with many international organizations and businesses operating in the fields of tourism, culture, and Asian cuisine in Bulgaria.
Notably, this is the first time the festival has been held over two consecutive days with an expanded scale, including art performances, culinary demonstrations, outdoor film screenings, handicraft exhibitions, sports activities, cultural exchanges, and many public experiences.
 |
| Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet guiding Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev through the Embassy's booth. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev praised the development of the Asia Festival over the years, with an increasing number of participating countries and more diverse activities. He emphasized that learning about the cultures, traditions, and values of peoples worldwide will bring people closer together, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and respect.
The Sofia Mayor also affirmed that cultural dialogue and people-to-people exchanges play a particularly important role in building trust, promoting cohesion, and enhancing understanding between nations in the context of the world facing many common challenges.
 |
| Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet attending the opening ceremony with Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, Chairperson of the National Assembly's Tourism Committee Rositsa Kirova, Deputy Minister of Tourism Mariela Modeva, and Ambassadors from Asian countries. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
For his part, Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Hristo Polendakov emphasized that the Asia Festival is an important bridge between the people of Bulgaria and Asian countries, contributing to enhancing understanding, friendship, and cooperation among peoples. He affirmed that although geographically distant, nations are connected by common values of culture, beauty, and the aspiration for harmony.
The highlight of Vietnam's participation in this year's festival was a special art performance program organized by the Embassy in collaboration with the Vietnamese community in Bulgaria and Bulgarian friends.
Ten musical performances rich in Vietnamese ethnic identity attracted a large audience who watched and cheered.
 |
| Performance by the Bong Sen Club. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
Especially, the group dance performances in traditional Vietnamese costumes by the Bong Sen Club, Non Xinh Club, and artists from the Sofia Ballet and Opera House received warm applause.
The image of Bulgarian citizens who love Vietnamese culture confidently performing in traditional ao dai has become a vivid testament to the effectiveness of cultural exchanges, contributing to enhancing understanding and connection between the peoples of the two countries.
 |
| Art performance at the event. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
In the vibrant space of the festival, the Vietnam booth stood out with the bright red national flag, traditional cultural symbols, and many products rich in national identity.
Familiar handicraft products such as conical hats, bamboo fans, lacquerware, and traditional souvenirs were introduced to the Bulgarian public and international friends.
 |
| The Embassy's booth attracted a large number of visitors. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
Additionally, the Vietnam booth attracted many visitors with traditional dishes rich in hometown flavors such as pho and nem. Many visitors expressed a deep impression of Vietnam's land and people, highly appreciating the rich cuisine, and expressed a desire to learn more about the culture and experience tourism in Vietnam in the near future.
 |
| Visitors enjoying Vietnamese pho and nem. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
The active participation of the Vietnamese Embassy in the 2026 Asia Festival not only contributed to promoting the image of Vietnam's land, people, and culture to international friends but also demonstrated Vietnam's proactive and active role in multilateral cultural exchanges in Bulgaria.
With the prominent red of the national flag, graceful ao dai, rich artistic performances, and the friendliness and hospitality of the Vietnamese community, the Vietnam booth continued to be one of the favorite destinations at the festival, leaving many beautiful impressions in the hearts of Bulgarian and international friends.
 |
| Art performance. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria) |
This is also a vivid testament to the vitality and spread of Vietnamese culture in the process of international integration, contributing to bringing Vietnam's image closer to friends around the world.
(Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Bulgaria)
