On December 14, H. E. Mr. Fahad Ibrahim Al-Mushairi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Bulgaria,

held a reception on the occasion of the country's National Day (December 18) in "Sofia" hall of the "Marinella" hotel. Numerous guests were present, including officials, ambassadors, representatives of the business, the culture and the media.

In his welcoming speech, H. E. Mr. Fahad Ibrahim Al-Mushairi emphasized the significance of the date: "This is an event during which the Qatari people show cohesion, solidarity and unity in terms of their love for their native land, as well as their pride in the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, leader of the development process and of a promising future. That is why the slogan of the National Day this year is "Our unity is the source of Our strength."

His Excellency highlighted the fact that the celebration of the National Day of the State of Qatar this year is particularly important as it coincides with Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and that together, the two events are an opportunity for the people of Qatar to show their unity and culture to the world. "The tournament in Qatar brought people together and not only united their feelings, but also confirmed that the world can be united when facing great challenges. We are grateful for the support and praise for our success in organizing this major global event," said the Ambassador.

Further in his speech, he spoke about the diplomatic relations between Qatar and Bulgaria by pointing out that in recent years they have developed "greatly" and he expressed his certainty that this will continue in the future. H. E. Ambassador Al-Mushairi also conveyed his gratitude towards the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria for the support it provides to the Embassy and the State of Qatar.

In conclusion, he noted: "One year has passed since I became ambassador to Bulgaria and it is a great honor for me to represent my country here. Thank you all for your hospitality!"

After the welcoming speech, the guests of the reception had the opportunity to watch live the creation of the portrait of H. H. the Emir of the State of Qatar through a drawing of one of the stadiums and the emblem of this year’s World Cup by the famous Palestinian artist Mohammed Aldairi. Also, at a specially designed corner of the hall, they could try Qatari coffee, black tea and karak chai – a traditional drink of black tea with milk and spices. In front of another, traditionally arranged corner, girls drew traditional Arabic patterns on the hands of the ladies with henna. Everyone also looked at the exhibited wonderful photos from Qatar, enjoyed the music from the country and, of course, the incredibly delicious specialties of the Arab cuisine.

The photos are provided by the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Up:  H. E. Mr. Fahad Ibrahim Al-Mushairi, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Bulgaria

Down: The Ambassador greeting the guests, among whom were the Minister of Energy Mr. Rossen Hristov and the Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov. The famous Bulgarian football player Dimitar Berbatov was also there and was given by H. E. the Ambassador a special t-shirt from the World Cup in Qatar.