On 5th of April at Odeon Cinema for the first time the Bulgarian readers were introduced to the book of the famous Palestinian poet and journalist Mahmoud Darwish Journal of an Ordinary Grief, translated by Maya Tzenova.

The occasion was the Palestinian National Holiday of Culture. During the last few years it became a tradition for the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Bulgaria to celebrate this important date by introducing a new book from the rich Palestinian field of literature to the Bulgarian audience.

The event started with a minute of silence in memory of the people who died during the week at Gaza Strip. After that the guests listened the anthems of the two countries – The Republic of Bulgaria and the State of Palestine.

Dr. Ahmed Al Madhuh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Bulgaria spoke personally about the work of Mahmoud Darwish, proclaimed by the Arabic Standing Committee on Arabic Culture of ALEXO (Arab Education, Science and Culture) as a symbol of Arab culture for 2018. He wished a pleasant process of reading to the guests, stressing that its main subject - the search of the homeland not only as a geographical concept, but also as a sensation, touches every reader, regardless of his background.

The Ambassador congratulated his Bulgarian guests on the upcoming holiday of the Resurrection of Christ and stressed that he was happy with the friendly relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the State of Palestine. SlavchoVelkov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Bulgaria - Palestine, also commented on the excellent relations between the two countries.

The evening continued with the broadcast of two short films. The first acquainted the guests with the beauty, the cultural heritage, the long history and the opportunities for hiking in Palestine. The second one told the story of the Earth Day, which is very important to the Palestinians over the last decades, because it marks the attachment to their homeland.

Photo: "Diplomatic Spectrum"