EC Day 2013 celebration
The second annual celebration of the European Cooperation Day under the Bulgaria-Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme took place on the 21st of September 2013 at Baba Vida castle in Vidin, Bulgaria. The celebration in the form of a medieval festival brought together performers from both Bulgaria and Serbia, including two associations for preservation of medieval arts and crafts - “Modus Vivendi” from Bulgaria and “Beli Orlovi” from Serbia, and the Balkan medieval music group “Eriney” from Bulgaria. The enthusiastic performers displayed great talent illustrating the rich and colorful past of the two countries through an open air exhibition of traditional arts and crafts, calligraphy, blacksmith, leatherworking and tailoring workshops, medieval games, a fighting tournament and even a live music concert of authentic medieval music from the Balkans.
The festival was open by the Minister of Regional Development of Republic of Bulgaria, Desislava Terzieva, who highlighted the importance of such events for popularization of tourist sites in the region and highlighted the fact that the two countries share common history and a joint future as well. Among other official guests were: the President of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, Mihail Mikov; Regional governor of Vidin Region, Krastyo Spasov; Mayor of Vidin, Gergo Gergov; and the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in the Republic of Bulgaria, His Excellency Vladimir Curgus. The host of the festival was the Vidin Museum of History, represented by represented by its director Fionera Filipova.
More than 300 people took part in the celebration, including numerous representatives of the regional and national media. A special information point in shape of a medieval-looking pavilion was set in front of the castle where the numerous visitors could get the latest information about the Programme, the EC Day initiative and the numerous projects implementing under the Programme. The representatives of the Joint Technical Secretariat distributed a variety of promotional materials and gifts such as brochures, leaflets, pens, t-shirts, posters, bookmarks and notebooks. Photos from the event can be seen below:
