A Live performance in Honor of the UN World Interfaith Concord Week (WIHW)
On February 21, 2026, the live performance “Bridges of Concord” came about on the Royal Palace “Vrana” in Sofia, Bulgaria. Jap European Discussion board for Dialogue Bridges affiliation as soon as once more worthily marked the United Nations World Interfaith Concord Week (WIHW). The purpose of the Week is to function a platform for dialogue and to emphasise “the crucial want for dialogue amongst totally different religions with a purpose to obtain understanding and cooperation amongst individuals.”
Bridges of Concord was held in partnership with Palace “Vrana” and the Tsar Boris and Queen Goanna Basis, and with the help and partnership of the Embassy of Republic Austria in Sofia.
His Very Reverend Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne, Father Haralampi (Nichev), arrived particularly for the occasion. Among the many official visitors have been H.E. Mehmet Sait Uyanık, Ambassador of Turkey; H.E. Dai Qingli, Ambassador of the Folks’s Republic of China; in addition to representatives of varied non secular communities, ministries, public figures, companions, and associates of Bridges.
The live performance embodied the rules of interfaith dialogue via the common language of music. Concord was introduced not solely as a musical idea, but additionally as a metaphor for coexistence, wherein totally different traditions and identities protect their integrity whereas contributing to a typical and significant complete.
This system introduced collectively music, classical works, poetry, and conventional dance representing the Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian traditions. The energetic participation of youngsters and younger individuals from the BRIDGES neighborhood was a defining factor of the occasion — they have been introduced not solely as performers, however as bearers of a shared future grounded in dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding. Their presence within the historic setting of Palace “Vrana” symbolized the group’s mission and its imaginative and prescient of a society based mostly on peaceable coexistence.
Throughout the official welcome within the lobby, Aleksandrina Kushincharova together with her arfa created an environment of solemnity and continuity.
This system was ceremoniously opened with Orthodox chants “Our Father,” “Tebe Poem,” and “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos!” – carried out by Georgi Malinov, Georgi Dimitrov, Alexey Salgrin, Lachezar Velichkov, Iliya Haidar, Lyuben Nikolov, and Nikola Aleksandrov, college students of the Sofia Theological Seminary “St. John of Rila,” underneath the course of Stoyan Malinov.
The hosts of the night have been Silvia Trifonova and Ahmed Gorelski, distinguished youth leaders within the group and representatives respectively of the Orthodox and Muslim communities. Their joint presence naturally mirrored the spirit of interfaith dialogue. After every efficiency, they expressed gratitude to the respective non secular neighborhood for its partnership and help.
His Royal Highness Prince Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, in his capability as host and member of the BRIDGES board, welcomed the visitors and expressed his satisfaction that the group’s conventional live performance devoted to World Interfaith Concord Week was being held on the Royal Palace “Vrana.” He emphasised the significance of the partnership with the “Tsar Boris and Queen Goanna Basis” and expressed particular because of Dr. Ivaylo Shalafov for his help.
The Chair of Bridges Affiliation, Angelina Vladikova, thanked the Royal Household for his or her hospitality and, in her emotional tackle, emphasised that “there may be deep symbolism in holding a live performance devoted to interfaith dialogue exactly right here, the place two functioning chapels Orthodox and Catholic coexist collectively. This area naturally embodies the phrases of Pope John Paul II that Christianity should breathe with each lungs – the East and the West.”
She briefly introduced the group’s long-standing work, its sensible expertise in working with younger individuals and selling interfaith dialogue in Bulgaria, mentioning dozens of interfaith youth camps, Bridges’ presence on this planet’s largest interfaith group URI (United Religions Initiative), the Anna Lindh Basis’s intercultural dialogue community, and the main European venture PARTESS-COM.
On behalf of the Embassy of Austria, Aneta Genkova delivered greetings and conveyed the message of H.E. Andrea Ikic-Böhm. In her message, the Ambassador expressed her pleasure on the sustainable partnership and emphasised the significance of dialogue, in addition to her satisfaction that for one more 12 months, an occasion of such excessive degree is being held in Sofia on the event of Interfaith Concord Week. A readiness to proceed cooperation with the Austrian Embassy and the Austrian Cultural Discussion board was additionally expressed.
The musical program continued with a piano quartet from the Nationwide Music Faculty “Lyubomir Pipkov” — Ralitsa Nedyalkova (violin), Nona Kuteva (viola), Luiza Stefanova (cello), and Tsvetelina Milanova (piano), who carried out Piano Quartet in E-flat main, Half I, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In 2026, a major anniversary associated to the composer is being commemorated, which is why his works occupied a particular place in this system as an expression of recognition for his enduring contribution to the European musical custom.
This was adopted by “Ave Maria” by Giulio Caccini, carried out by Yoanna Baruch from the Jewish neighborhood, accompanied on piano by Yana Stoyanova. Each college students on the Nationwide Music Academy “Pancho Vladigerov.”
The percussion duo Agleya Kaneva and Alexander Vichev from Musical faculty “Dobrin Petkov” carried out marimba works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and a solo marimba association of “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
The second a part of the live performance started with a efficiency by the Armenian Dance Group “YAN” of the Armenian Common Benevolent Union “Parekorzagan” AGBU. Plovdiv.
The Islamic non secular custom was represented via the poetry of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, carried out by younger individuals from totally different non secular communities — Adelina Cholakova, Ivayla Ivanova, Mehmed Halil, and Ahmed Gorelski, accompanied on piano by Boris Petkov.
“Many paths result in God. I selected the one in every of dance and music” – Rumi
This was adopted by a solo piano efficiency by Boris Petkov of “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”, after which Aglaya Kaneva joined him to sing “Smile.”
The night concluded solemnly with “Mnogaya Leta,” as soon as once more carried out by the seminarians.
Due to the partnership with Restaurant “Komat” and Crimson Church, visitors and performers continued their communication in an off-the-cuff ambiance.
A number of non secular leaders who have been unable to attend despatched their congratulatory addresses and help for the Bridges trigger. In his particular message, URI Board Chair Eric Roux wrote:
“I want to share how deeply grateful the United Religions Initiative (URI) is that you’ve got gathered this night to rejoice the unity of humanity — past all variations, whether or not cultural or non secular. We’re additionally sincerely grateful to the Royal Household of Bulgaria for his or her dedication to affirming the gorgeous values of interfaith concord and for generously offering this distinctive corridor in your occasion.
… I additionally wish to say how proud I’m of all of the younger performers. Their skills are exceptional, however what makes them really distinctive is that they don’t preserve their items for themselves; fairly, they use them to write down a brand new story for all of us — selflessly, with love and look after others. In a world the place the clean web page of the long run is so typically full of unhealthy information, they’re the excellent news. And never simply any excellent news, however stunning, inspiring, and uplifting – bringing artwork and creativity in service of humanity.”
The live performance “Bridges of Concord” was conceived not merely as a cultural spectacle, however as a ceremonial act of encounter and dialogue. By means of music, dance, poetry, and shared presence supported by institutional and diplomatic partnership – an area for interfaith communication was created, wherein traditions entered into dialogue, variations coexisted with dignity, and concord was each skilled and affirmed.
We’re proud that in 2024 our live performance “Reward of Love,” organized on the identical event, was awarded the celebrated First Prize of the World Interfaith Concord Week by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. With BRIDGES of Concord, we are going to as soon as once more apply for this distinguished award.
By Angelina Vladikova
