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Czech Day in Sofia – a celebration of Czech culture, music and culinary traditions

bTV journalist Petya Dikova hosted the event dedicated to the Czech Republic's National Day

On September 29, the Crystal Garden in Sofia became the stage for Czech Day - a celebration dedicated to the National Day of the Czech Republic, associated with St. Wenceslas Day (September 28), the patron saint of the country. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Czech Center in Sofia, in partnership with the Sofia Municipality.

The event was organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Czech Center in Sofia, in partnership with the Sofia Municipality. Guests had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere through live Czech music, traditional cuisine, and drinks. Those in attendance learned about various aspects of Czech culture and viewed new models of Czech cars.

Among the official guests were H.E. Miroslav Toman, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Bulgaria, Ms. Irena Georgieva, Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria, and Mr. Traicho Traikov, Mayor of Sredets District, Sofia Municipality. They delivered welcoming speeches to those present, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and friendly relations between Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. bTV journalist Petya Dikova hosted the event, which was organized with the support of PPF, Yettel, Škoda Group, and bTV Media Group.

During an official ceremony at the Czech Embassy in Sofia during the day, the Škoda Group signed a contract with the Bulgarian company TTL to lease a depot where 25 new, modern electric trains will undergo full servicing over the next few years. The rolling stock will be delivered under a contract signed last September, worth over half a billion euros. The trains will be maintained for 15 years, and dozens of new employees will be hired in the country for this purpose.

"The leased depot will make it possible for us to ensure the high quality of maintenance and reliability of the trains we manufacture for Bulgaria. We consider this step to be a partial success in this strategically important project, and it confirms our ambition to continue to be a strong partner in the field of modern rail transport in this region," says Petr Novotný, CEO of Škoda Group.

The festive program for Czech Day in Sofia featured a variety of musical and cultural performances, including Plovdiv Brass Station, the Sofia Chamber Choir "Vasil Arnaudov," a reading of the Bulgarian translation of the Czech book The Princess of the Fern, the acoustic duo Duo Radetzka-Gaidarski, who perform jazz, bossa nova, and pop melodies, the Czech Republic's Brass Five military brass band, and the Republic of Bulgaria's Representative Brass Band.

Czech Day in Sofia attracted widespread interest, giving the Bulgarian public an opportunity to experience the spirit, traditions, and hospitality of the Czech Republic in the heart of the capital.