Photo exhibition ‘Switzerland and Bulgaria: 110 Years of Partnership, Innovation and Solidarity’
Celebrations marking 110 years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Bulgaria officially began on October 13 with the vernissage of the photographic exhibition “Switzerland and Bulgaria: 110 Years of Partnership, Innovation and Solidarity”, held in the heart of Sofia.
Among those attending were authorities, partners and friends of the Embassy of Switzerland, including Sofia mayor Vasil Tertziev and Dr. Mihail Gruev, president of the State Archives Agency.
The opening ceremony also marked the launch of Swiss Days 2026, with a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony bringing together the Ambassador of Switzerland to Bulgaria, Pierre Hagmann, Terziev, and Boni Bonev, chair of the Board of the Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce (BSCC).
The ceremony celebrated the longstanding partnership between the two countries and their shared commitment to innovation, democratic values and solidarity.
“It all started with sports, when two Swiss nationals arrived in Bulgaria to teach gymnastics,” Terziev recalled in his opening remarks. One of them, Charles Champaud, went on to represent Bulgaria at the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, while Louis-Émile Eyer joined the Bulgarian Army. These historical connections, Terziev said, demonstrate how “the friendship between Bulgaria and Switzerland predates our diplomatic relations”.
Hagmann echoed this sentiment, highlighting the countless individual stories that have shaped the partnerships between the two countries.
“Relations between our countries are built by people,” he emphasised, referring to the entrepreneurs, researchers, sports educators, artists and musicians who have forged lasting connections between Switzerland and Bulgaria.
This people-centred and value-based partnership continues today through concrete initiatives and shared ambitions.
Since 1992, Switzerland has stood alongside Bulgaria as a reliable partner in its reform journey.
Today, through the Swiss-Bulgarian Cooperation Programme, nearly 120 million euro is being invested in sectors belonging to Bulgaria’s national priorities: strengthening employment of youth through dual vocational education and training, environmental protection and sustainability, public safety, migration, healthcare, social inclusion, civic engagement, good governance, research and innovation.
Bonev highlighted the close and enduring economic ties between the two countries over time and their contribution to strengthening our relations.
Today, Switzerland is the fifth largest foreign investor in Bulgaria. He also underlined the Chamber’s close cooperation with the Embassy of Switzerland in Bulgaria to promote a favorable investment climate.
The celebration of the Swiss Days and of the breadth of this partnership is also an opportunity to look ahead. The potential is vast, particularly in the fields of economic and scientific cooperation, with innovation at its core.
One emblematic example is INSAIT, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science and Technology. Its remarkable results demonstrate what Switzerland and Bulgaria can achieve together through ambition, excellence and innovation.
(Photo, of Terziev, Bonev and Hagmann: Provided)
