Gabriel: Bulgaria brand and cultural diplomacy are priority in Bulgaria's foreign policy

"Bulgaria Brand" and cultural diplomacy are a priority of Bulgaria's foreign policy, Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said on Friday at the third edition of an international forum titled Bulgaria Brand - Touch the Wonders. The event, organized by the Cultural Heritage Society (Europa Nostra - Bulgaria), is under the patronage of the Foreign Minister.

Gabriel outlined three key areas for the development of Bulgaria Brand: coordination with the country's foreign policy, the role of cultural institutions and the creation of a digital platform.

Establishing Bulgaria Brand within international organizations is Gabriel's goal. ?Why not expand our partnerships? I would like to see Bulgarian culture days being held in countries like Japan and India," she said. According to her, Bulgaria's main competitive advantage is its centuries-old cultural and historical heritage.

Gabriel said that a coordination meeting with the ministers of culture, economy, agriculture, education, regional development and public works is to be held on September 15 to outline the common work on the development of Bulgaria Brand. 

As a second priority area for the development of Bulgaria Brand, Gabriel pointed to strengthening interaction with diplomatic missions in Bulgaria to strengthen cultural diplomacy. "Together with the competent institutions, we have started work to adopt a cultural calendar," she added.

According to the Minister, cultural tourism has a 40% share of the Bulgarian tourist sector. "For cultural tourism to be sustainable, innovation has an important role to play. It is time to create an intergrated digital platform with information and access from all over the world," Gabriel pointed out.