The Programme celebrated European Cooperation Day 2016 with a culinary tourism festival “Eat, travel, love cross-border cooperation”
On the 17th of September 2016 Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria-Serbia Programme organized a celebration of the European Cooperation Day 2016. The EC day was marked with a culinary tourism festival under title “Eat, travel, love cross-border cooperation” at the park “Rila” in Dupnitsa, Bulgaria. The “Barbeque” zone of the park, where the festival took place, had been renovated under a CBC project within the Phare Neighborhood Bulgaria - Serbia and Montenegro Programme.
The festival attracted over 230 participants from the region, including representatives of the local and regional authorities, and media. The official guests at the event were: Denitsa Nikolova, Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works; Sanda Simic, Assistant Director at the European Integration Office of the Republic of Serbia; H.E. Vladimir Curgus, Ambassador of the Serbia in Bulgaria; Radoslava Chekanska, Deputy District Governor of the Regional Administration Kyustendil; and Metodiy Chimev, Mayor of Dupnitsa.
Guests at the celebration were able to enjoy for free freshly prepared delicacies, typical for the cross-border region and the two countries in general. A professional chef, Penyo Ivanov, demonstrated how to prepare some of the tastiest foods, which attract tourists to the cross-border region. Chef Penyo Ivanov is known for his festival “Colorful feast visiting our town” and for preparing menus for famous people like the Russian president Vladimir Putin, former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, singer Enrique Iglesias, and many others.
The festival also featured a display of the best photographs submitted under the Programme photo competition 2016, and a singing performance by the representatives of the Community Centre “Probuda 1927” from the village of Samoranovo, Bulgaria. All the guests were invited to learn more about the Programme and the EC day initiative at the event Info Point, where the Programme representatives distributed a variety of information materials and promotional gifts, such as branded cooking aprons and chef’s hats.
Photos from the celebration can be seen below:
The website is co-funded by EU through the Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria–Serbia Programme.