Initiated by the Moroccan Embassy in Bulgaria and African embassies accredited in this country, this event was attended by senior officials, local elected officials, Bulgarian MEPs, as well as the diplomatic corps accredited in Bulgaria, associations and members of the African diaspora and Bulgarian charitable foundations, said a statement from the Moroccan Embassy in Sofia on Sunday.

The active participation of Morocco was particularly distinguished by the beauty of its stand which offered to the audience, tourists and visitors, a demonstration of the richness, authenticity and diversity of civilization, culture and crafts Moroccan.

The stand also gave to see a rich range of the tourist offer of the Kingdom, a destination of choice that is becoming increasingly important on the Bulgarian market.

The participation of Morocco was enhanced by an exhibition of photographs tracing the geographical, historical and tourist assets of the Kingdom. The day was marked by a diverse cultural program, including performances by Bulgarian and African artists.

In her capacity as dean of the Group of African ambassadors, Zakia El Midaoui, Moroccan ambassador to Sofia stressed in a speech delivered at the opening of this day, that the celebration of this event is "a moment of joy and pride that allows us to reflect on the future and find ways to build together the Africa we want."

"Africa has considerable economic potential, coupled with a rich, young and dynamic human capital. The ingredients for a sustainable, inclusive and united development exist and it is up to us, African countries, to work individually and collectively for the emergence of a New Africa: A strong and bold Africa, which supports the defense of its interests and has its own influence and weight in the concert of nations," added El Midaoui.

"Africa is moving forward today, as it did in the past, on the path of progress and prosperity. To do so, it is collectively and jointly addressing some gaps, including nutrition, the theme chosen for the commemoration of Africa Day in 2022, consistent with the annual theme of the African Union, "noted the Moroccan diplomat on the occasion of this day.

For his part, Angel Angelov, head of the Department of Africa at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that "Africa is the closest neighbor of Europe. The links between Africa and the European Union are wide and deep because of their history, their proximity and common interests.

He said that Bulgaria has long maintained friendly relations and cooperation with most African countries, noting that his country is working "to revive and intensify our contacts and relations with African countries, with which we had in the past relations and cooperation extremely intense, dynamic and mutually beneficial.