The Queen's Birthday Party 2018 in Bulgaria
The annual celebration, held on 14 June 2018, invited guests to celebrate the friendship between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria.
HMA Emma Hopkins OBE delivering her speech.
This year, the Queen’s Birthday Party was held under the theme “GREAT Friends” and celebrated the close relationship between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria. The event showcased UK excellence in the areas of innovation, culture, literature and sport. The event was kindly sponsored by UK business leaders Petroceltic, Deloitte, Cleves, CertAsig, AXA Healthcare and Bulgaria Insurance Company.
Emma Hopkins OBE, British Ambassador to Bulgaria, addressed the audience and spoke about the great friendship between the UK and Bulgaria, about the shared values and objectives between the two countries, and about British excellence in the four areas of the event. Extracts from the speech can be found below:
Good evening, Vice President, Ministers, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, colleagues and friends, welcome to our National Day – celebrating our Queen’s 92nd Birthday. Thank you for joining us on this occasion.
Our theme this year is friendship - the great friendship which exists between Bulgaria and the UK. We have chosen four things to showcase tonight which we hope you enjoy.
Firstly, culture. You all know about the UK’s thriving film and music industry. Tonight you can appear in an iconic British film on our red carpet or visit the Harry Potter Sorting Hat to find out which Hogwarts house you would be in.
Secondly, literature. Take time out to sit and read in our cute bookstore and vote for your favourite British and Bulgarian novels.
Thirdly, innovation. An opportunity to learn about coding and the potential of Microbit, a technology from the UK that can be used for computer education in schools. Test your reactions at the stand.
And finally, sport. Today may be the opening day of the football World Cup, but we have decided to focus on tennis and Wimbledon. Have a go at our interactive game and wipe your brow on a genuine Wimbledon towel.
This year was busy and productive. The UK and Bulgaria have worked closely together in a range of areas, including in defence, counter terrorism, countering organised crime, migration, judicial reform and on the Western Balkans. Our bilateral trade continues to grow.
My personal highlight of the year was our Ambassador for the Day initiative which took place in honour of international Woman’s Day. 9 inspirational Bulgarian girls became ambassadors for the day, meeting Vice President Iotova and taking part in a public debate on gender equality.
Of course, the UK will leave the EU next year on 29 March 2019. But our commitment to our shared values and objectives will remain the same.
I want to thank all of our close partners who are here this evening for your support, friendship and co-operation over the past year.
I would also like to thank the companies who have generously sponsored tonight’s event – Petroceltic, Deloitte, Cleves, CertAsig and AXA healthcare and their Bulgarian partners Bulgaria Insurance Company.
Now I ask you to be upstanding and to join me in a toast to celebrate our Queen.