Serbia-Bulgaria Friendship Society established in Belgrade as a sign of good neighbourliness

Friendship Society between Serbia and Bulgaria was established in Belgrade on October 23. This happened in the famous building in the Serbian capital - Aeroklub, where various events of the diplomatic corps and conferences of the non-governmental sector take place. It is located next to Kalemegdan Park where the Apostle of Freedom Vasil Levski received his nickname during his participation in the Legion.

The establishment of the Society coincides with the 145th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Serbia immediately after the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. In his speech, the former Ambassador of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to Bulgaria, Srecko Djukic, noted that the bridge between the two peoples were the personalities Vasil Levski, Georgi Rakovski and Lyuben Karavelov, who could be an example of friendship and good neighbourliness.

"Serbian-Bulgarian relations have no limit in front of them," Djukic told the audience.

Ivan Tonchev, a Serbian citizen of Bulgarian origin, was elected president of the newly established society. He said that the aim of the society is to work for the improvement of relations between the two neighbouring countries and to stimulate them in the direction of developing civil diplomacy and rapprochement between people. The event was attended also by representatives of the Bulgarian community in Serbia from the society in the town of Pančevo, as well as representatives of the Bulgarian business working in our western neighbour.

Performances of "You Are Beautiful, My Forest" and the Hymn of the National Awakeners were presented by the Plovdiv choir "Evmolpeya", who have repeatedly given concerts to the local Bulgarians from the northern Serbian multinational region of Vojvodina and at the annual meeting of Bulgarian Communities in Ivanovo, Banat and Novi Sad.