On Bastille Day, July 14, France’s ambassador to Bulgaria Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes was awarded the honorary sign – the Golden Age necklace for merits in the promotion of cultural cooperation between Bulgaria and France. The ceremony took place in the magnificent Throne Room of the former Royal Palace, now housing the National Art Gallery, among the works by renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin on display there. The exhibition is part of a series of traveling exhibitions in this country of collections by prominent French masters that started with works by Edgar Degas in 2010, when France’s ambassador to this country was Philipe Autié.

“His Excellency Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes has all the qualities of a modern diplomat – education, vast experience, broadmindedness, a very accurate assessment of any given situation,” said Minister of Culture Petar Stoyanovich at the ceremony, and added that the ambassador of France was a “true friend to Bulgaria”.

“I am very moved and proud of this distinction,” the French ambassador said and went on to pay tribute to his predecessor. “Together with Minister of Culture Petar Stoyanovich I had the great pleasure of inaugurating several magnificent exhibitions, organized by my predecessors. Nine months ago, just days after I arrived in Bulgaria, I inaugurated an exhibition of works by Jules Pasquin. Some six weeks ago this Auguste Rodin exhibition opened at the National Art Gallery. This policy is not new to us, it is a sign that relations between France and Bulgaria are growing closer and closer. As Europeans, we need to get to know each other better. And I think culture is the best way to do this.”

Talking to Radio Bulgaria, Ambassador Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes spoke of another, even more ambitious Bulgarian-French project – the first Thracian heritage exhibition at the Louvre in Paris.

“The exhibition is planned for 15 April – 15 July 2015 and will present the culture of the Thracians – an array of artifacts found around the tomb of their King Seuthus III in the Valley of Thracian Kings,” he said. “The exposition will feature exhibits from some 15 Bulgarian museums, selected jointly by experts from the Louvre and from Bulgarian museums. This will lay the foundations of a long-term cooperation between museums in France and in Bulgaria for future exchanges. Right after the Thracian exhibition at the Louvre, Bulgaria will host an exhibition of artifacts from the Louvre, connected with the culture of the Romans.”

English version: Milena Daynova