UK in Bulgaria

Celebrating 100 Years of the UK in Bulgaria

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16th October 2014

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by Jonathan Allen

Former Ambassador to Bulgaria

To Defeat Intolerance and Inequality We Must Have Open Minds and Open Hearts

Every year since 2007 on Blog Action Day, thousands of bloggers come together to talk about one important issue, like poverty, climate change and human rights amongst others. This year the event is held on 16 October and the theme is inequality. HMA Jonathan Allen joins the initiative and blogs why to defeat intolerance and inequality, we must have […]

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10th October 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia in 1987 and 1988

by Hazel Onn Hazel Onn lived in Bulgaria in the late 1980s when her husband Tony was Head of Security at British Embassy Sofia. Hazel kept many good memories of her time in Bulgaria, including of their diplomatic flat on Juliot Currie Str., Kuchia, the dog of their Russian neighbours, how once she was absolutely covered head […]

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29th September 2014

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by Jonathan Allen

Former Ambassador to Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s Elections: Different This Time?

Last week, I spent a day on the road following the election campaign and various candidates, and will do the same this week. My colleagues in the Embassy have done likewise. It’s a great way to see politicians up close dealing with real people and their real concerns, before they get pulled back into Sofia […]

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18th September 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria

Ruse

by Andy Anderson Andy Anderson moved to the Bulgarian city of Ruse in 1998 to work as Technical Director for the United Nations Beautiful Bulgaria Project, which renovated hundreds of monuments of culture and historic buildings across Bulgaria. Today, 16 years later, Andy still lives in Ruse and is also putting together a book about the British community […]

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3rd September 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria

How We Brought a Subject Into the Open

by Richard Thomas Richard Thomas was British Ambassador to Bulgaria from 1989 to 1994.  “We were not sanctimonious, and we did our best to build on the goodwill and good practices that already existed. I have the happiest memories of days out at Vidrare […] seeing the children’s faces light up and sharing in the staffs’ […]

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11th August 2014

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by Jonathan Allen

Former Ambassador to Bulgaria

We Need to Celebrate Ability and not Fear Disability

On 8 August, 11 young Bulgarians strode to the centre of Old Trafford cricket ground, during the lunch break of the game between England and India. In front of 25,000 people, they showed off their talents at this most English of games. I am sure it was an experience that none of them will ever […]

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About UK in Bulgaria

100 years ago in 1914, the British Ambassador’s Residence was completed. This iconic Sofia building, given protected status by the Bulgarian and British authorities, has witnessed the ups and downs…

100 years ago in 1914, the British Ambassador’s Residence was completed. This iconic Sofia building, given protected status by the Bulgarian and British authorities, has witnessed the ups and downs of the relationship between the two countries, through two world wars, the communist period, and the promises and challenges of the modern era, where Bulgaria became an EU partner and NATO ally.

100 Years UK in BG serves to celebrate this milestone jubilee. Run by the British Embassy Sofia, the blog includes stories that British nationals who had experienced Bulgaria first hand have written. These are people part of the 100-year history – some settled in the country, others just lived there for a certain period of time. The common bond between all of them is that they were part of the Bulgarian community and saw and felt about it quite differently.

We would like to build a kaleidoscopic view of the British-Bulgarian relations and believe that the British nationals who have touched to Bulgaria have a lot to share.

If you are interested in participating in the 100 Years UK in BG blog please contact us at: 100yearsinbg@gmail.com. Please help us popularise the project by using the official hashtag #100UKBG.

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