For the first time, the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, issued a proclamation declaring March 3 as Bulgarian Heritage Day.
With the proclamation, Adams recognized the enormous contribution of the Bulgarian community in a number of spheres of life in New York and marked March 3, 1878 as the date of the restoration of statehood for a nation that is known for its arts, cuisine, natural beauty and biodiversity, it is noted in the information of the Consulate General of Bulgaria in New York.
Eric Adams welcomed the Bulgarian community with its holiday and together with the Consul General of Bulgaria in New York Angel Angelov raised our tricolor in the oldest public park in New York, Bowling Green.
The Bulgarian flag rose in the Manhattan sky, accompanied by a live performance of our national anthem by Gina DiDonato.
The guests of the celebration were welcomed by Ambassador Lachezara Stoeva, Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the UN, Metropolitan Joseph, who heads our overseas dioceses in the USA, Canada and Australia, and Ed Murmelstein, Commissioner for International Affairs at the New York City Hall.
The ceremony was led by Ibrahim Kurtulus, vice-president of the association that manages the Bowling Green Park.
The cultural program included dozens of performers from Bulgarian schools and cultural centers in New York, inclusive school “Gergana” and school “Hristo Botev” in New York, Young Bulgarian Voices NY and ensemble “Gorana”, as well as many guests such as Catherine E S Springer. Everyone also received a Bulgarian “martenitsa”.
“We sincerely thank everyone who shared the celebration with us, regardless of the heavy rain and to the many, including Iva Yordanova, who shared photos from the celebration,” said the Consulate General of Bulgaria in New York.