The 32nd International Folklore Festival has kicked off in Varna, Bulgaria.

This year’s international participants come from Ukraine, Slovakia, Montenegro, Hungary, Georgia, China, Timor, and Albania.

All invited ensembles joined in the opening titled “Together Today and Forever.”

The festival, themed “Travel Around the World,” features performances from Albanian, Ukrainian, and Chinese groups, as well as the “Jantra” folklore ensemble, founded in Budapest in 1996 by Bulgarian-origin youth.

The concluding gala concert, titled “Let’s Stay Friends,” will bring together all participants along with the “Odessos” folklore ensemble.

The Varna International Folklore Festival, initiated by the Varna municipality, has been held annually since 1992 and attracts participants from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

The festival is a member of the European Festivals Association and the UNESCO-associated Folklore Festivals Association.

/k.s/