On 31st of  July, on the occasion of Moroccan  National Day, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Republic of Bulgaria, in cooperation with the National Library "St. St. Cyril and Methodius", invited distinguished guests to the opening ceremony of the Moroccan books corner in the library, followed by a reception given by H. E. Mrs. Zakia El Midaoui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco. Among the guests of the Ambassador, who just a few days ago also became a doyen of the diplomatic corps in the country, was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H. E. Mrs. Maria Gabriel.

The event was opened by Dr. Vanya Avramova, Deputy Director of the National Library. In her welcoming spеech to the guests, she thanked the National Library in Rabat for the donated books, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Republic of Bulgaria and personally H. E. Mrs. Zakia El Midaoui for their assistance in the realization of this book corner. The Moroccon  book corner is the twenty-second since the launch of this wonderful initiative of the Library in 2021, and every opening of  a such  corner becomes a celebration of the friendship between the national libraries in the world and an enduring symbol of cultural ties between the nations.

Afterwards, H. E. Mrs. Zakia El Midaoui welcomed her guests with the following speech:

It’s with immense pride and deep honor that I stand before you today to celebrate our National Day: Throne Day, which this year corresponds to the 24th anniversary of the accession of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the Throne of His glorious Ancestors. You will find me all the more delighted that, on the bangs of this event, so dear to the hearts of all Moroccans, we will be inaugurating the "Moroccan Corner" in this prestigious Saint-Cyril-and-Methodius National Library.

The celebration of the Feast of the Throne on July 30 of each year reflects the renewal of the pact of allegiance and the strengthening of the deep, age-old ties between the Moroccan people and their sovereigns. It represents a powerful moment of communion and embodies the founding spirit of the Moroccan nation. It symbolizes its unity, stability, diversity and deep-rooted values of peace, respect and tolerance.

It’s also an opportunity to take stock of achievements, but also to set new deadlines for development, which Morocco is gradually putting in place and implementing in a sustainable and inclusive way, to ensure dignified living conditions for the Moroccan people.

In fact, it’s thanks to the guidance and personal monitoring of our August Sovereign that major development projects and crucial reforms have been carried out, whose progress is perceptible on the ground in the political and socio-economic spheres, with a rise in power in various sectors.

Excellences, Distinguished guests,

The inauguration of a Moroccan Corner to coincide with the celebration of the Feast of the Throne reflects the firm determination of Morocco and Bulgaria to work together to give new impetus to existing good bilateral relations, and to raise them to a higher level in the various areas of cooperation of common interest.

Morocco, like Bulgaria, is a country with a rich, thousand-year-old history, a vibrant culture and unparalleled diversity. In both countries, culture is a national priority, and tireless efforts are being made to achieve this noble goal.

In this respect, since his accession to the Throne, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has made culture a national priority. Our Sovereign never ceases to surround this sector, considered to be of prime importance in the process of Morocco's socio-economic development, with His High Solicitude. Moreover, this Royal vision is enshrined in the 2011 Constitution, which affirms the Kingdom's attachment to the values of openness, moderation, tolerance and dialogue for mutual understanding between all cultures and civilizations of the world, and sets out the commitment of public authorities to support the development of cultural and artistic creation.

Excellences, Distinguished guests,

A library is the beating heart of any society, a place where knowledge, culture and history come to life. It's a place where curious minds meet, ideas are shared and borders are dissipated. Today, by establishing this "Moroccan Corner", we are taking another step towards the mutual enrichment of our two friendly countries.

This Moroccan Corner is much more than just a space dedicated to Moroccan history and culture. It embodies the desire to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between Morocco and Bulgaria. It’s the fruit of close collaboration between our two countries, testifying to our shared commitment to promoting intercultural dialogue.

This Moroccan Corner, which aims to be a place for intellectual exchange and sharing, will offer Bulgarian visitors, researchers and students,

the chance to discover a wide range of facets of Moroccan history and culture. History, literature, art, music, gastronomy and traditions are just some of the areas to be showcased.  From classic works to contemporary writings, from traditional tales to poetic creations, from historical books to political or philosophical writings, this Corner aspires to become an open door to Moroccan society in all its diversity, and an invitation to the Bulgarian public to immerse themselves in Moroccan history and culture through its diverse expressions.

Excellences, Distinguished guests,

I would also like to emphasize that this Moroccan Corner is a powerful symbol of our desire for rapprochement and friendship. It's an invitation to discover the richness of our heritage, to explore our shared values and to celebrate our differences. It’s a testimony to our confidence in the future and in the possibility of building together a world, where cultural diversity is celebrated and a spirit of tolerance is the order of the day.

I can't end my speech without expressing my deep gratitude to the Bulgarian authorities as a whole, and to the people in charge of this Library, who have generously hosted this Moroccan Corner. Their unfailing support and willingness to promote cultural exchange between our countries deserve our deepest gratitude.

I would like to thank you all for coming in such numbers today, to share this moment of conviviality and fraternity, on the occasion of the celebration of our National Day in this magical place, and of the inauguration of the Moroccan Corner on the bangs of this event, which testifies, moreover, to the consideration and importance you attach to the Moroccan-Bulgarian friendship. 

May this space become a place of encounter, dialogue and tolerance. May the ties between Morocco and Bulgaria continue to strengthen, for a future of fruitful cooperation and mutual understanding.

Long live the Kingdom of Morocco! Long live the Republic of Bulgaria!

Long live the friendship between our two countries and friendly peoples!

After the exciting speech of the Ambassador, H. E. Mrs. Maria Gabriel, expressed her congratulations in French on the opening of the Moroccan Book Corner at the National Library. She thanked the libraries in Rabat and Sofia for the opportunities they provide for mutual knowledge of our literatures and cultures.

The National Library "St. St. Cyril and Methodius" showed, especially for the guests and for a few hours only, in special showcases valuable documents stored in its collection and related to Morocco. Among them were: a rare copy of the Holy Koran from the 14th century. The Holy Koran in Maghrebi script, printed under the order of the King of Morocco, al-Hassan II, in Casablanca (ad-Dar al-Bayda) in 1967; an Arabic codex written in Maghrebi script in the fifteenth century with Ibn al-Fahhar's commentary on the Arabic grammar written in verse, called al-Ajurrumiyya. All the exhibits aroused great interest among the guests, who discussed them animatedly during and after the reception.

And then it was the turn of the famous Moroccan hospitality. The guests tasted the unique cous cous. The reception was ended with the traditional tea ceremony with Moroccan pastries.

Photos: Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Republic of Bulgaria and "Diplomatic Spectrum". Top left to right: Dr. Vanya Avramova, Deputy Director of the National Library, H. E. Mrs. Maria Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and H. E. Ms. Zakia El Midawi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco