On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Bulgaria,

and the Days of Cuban Culture, H. E. Mrs. Marieta García Jordán, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Republic of Bulgaria, together with the Bulgaria–Cuba Friendship Association, organized a festive concert followed by a cocktail reception. The official event took place on 14 October 2025 in Hall 7 of the National Palace of Culture and brought together high-ranking representatives of the Bulgarian state and government, ambassadors and diplomats, Cubans living in Bulgaria, and many Bulgarians who are friends of Cuba. Among the guests were: Natalia Kiselova, Chairperson of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria; Atanas Zafirov, Deputy Prime Minister; Vezhdi Rashidov, Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria on Cultural Affairs; and members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Bulgaria–Cuba.

In her address to the audience, H. E. Mrs. Marieta García Jordán presented the 65-year development of diplomatic relations between the two countries, highlighting the strong ties between Cuba and Bulgaria, which encompass all spheres of social, economic, political, and cultural life. Her full speech can be read HERE.

On the Bulgarian side, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov expressed the readiness of the Bulgarian authorities to continue strengthening and updating the historic relations with Cuba. He recalled that Bulgaria was one of the first EU member states to ratify the EU–Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement. He confirmed that Bulgaria shares the common EU position and has supported, year after year, the resolution of the UN General Assembly calling for an end to the U.S. economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba.

Vezhdi Rashidov delivered congratulations on behalf of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. Rosen Zhelyazkov, emphasizing that Bulgarian–Cuban cooperation has a rich history. Contacts have varied in intensity over the years, but the traditionally friendly relations between the two peoples have been preserved and continue to flourish.

Congratulatory letters were received from His Majesty King Simeon II, from Kristian Vigenin, Member of the European Parliament, from members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, from Yanka Takeva, Chairperson of the Union of Bulgarian Teachers, from Boyan Angelov, Chairperson of the Union of Bulgarian Writers, and from other high-ranking individuals.

The evening became a true celebration of friendship thanks to the artistic program. It is enough to mention that the host was the legendary friend of Cuba, beloved both in Bulgaria and on the Isle of Freedom, the Bulgarian singer Yordanka Hristova. She was joined by journalist Tanya Gluhcheva from "Duma" newspaper.

The audience was first energized by a performance of the Bulgarian folk ensemble "Zornitsa". Afterwards, Cuban soprano Sarai de la Caridad Cabrera Diaz received thunderous applause for her renditions of fragments from the zarzuela Cecilia Valdés and the bolero Twenty Years.

Emotional and heartfelt was the recitation of the poem La Bodeguita by the Bulgarian poet Vanya Petkova, who lived in Havana for a time in the 1970s with her then-young daughter Olia Al-Ahmed. The poem, written in the emblematic Cuban restaurant, is inspired by it and dedicated to it. La Bodeguita was a gathering place for some of the greatest artists of the era - poets, writers, musicians, dancers, actors - who turned it into a legend. That evening, the poem was performed by her daughter, now a well-known Bulgarian journalist, Olia Al-Ahmed.

The mood rose further with the Cuban singer Dolores Estrada, who performed the bolero Dos Gardenias and the traditional Chan Chan, as well as with the wonderful Cuban son of Alfredo Torres and Jorgette, a Cuban–Bulgarian dance pair.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the artistic program was the performance of the great Bulgarian singer Yordanka Hristova, who over the years has become a symbol of Bulgarian–Cuban friendship. She is currently also Chairperson of the "José Martí" Foundation in Bulgaria. Yordanka Hristova performed the bolero Black Tears and the well-known song Jalosia.

After that, she invited all the artists who had taken part in the program to join her on stage for a collective performance of La Guantanamera. And the entire audience sang along!

The festive program concluded, but the celebration did not end. In the foyer outside the hall, guests enjoyed a cocktail reception with plenty of Cuban rum and smiles. There, the guests also had the chance to witness the art of hand-rolling Cuban cigars. Master roller Yulenmis Alfonso Bolanos amazed everyone with the speed and skill with which she rolled them, and then generously offered one to each guest as a souvenir of the evening.

A truly wonderful night - an authentic celebration of friendship between two countries far apart geographically but extremely close in heart and spirit.

Photos: Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in the Republic of Bulgaria and Union of Bulgarian Journalists