Interfaith Art Performance

Venue: Royal Palace “Vrana”, Sofia, Bulgaria

With the interfaith art performance Bridges of Harmony, BRIDGES - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Association (URI CC) will celebrate the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) 2026. The event will take place on 21 February 2026 at the Royal Palace “Vrana” near Sofia.

For another consecutive year, the event will be held under the honorary patronage of H.E. Ms. Andrea Ikic-Böhm, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria, with the financial support of the Austrian Embassy in Sofia, and in partnership with the Royal Palace “Vrana” and the “Tsar Boris III and Queen Giovanna Foundation”. The concert reflects a shared commitment to dialogue, cultural diplomacy, and the promotion of peaceful coexistence among religious and cultural communities.

Bridges of Harmony presents interreligious dialogue as a living, dynamic, and transformative process. Through a carefully curated program of music, poetry, movement, and visual elements, it illustrates how differences may meet without being diminished, and how dialogue may lead to unity without uniformity. The event embodies the principles of interfaith dialogue through the universal language of music. Harmony is understood not only as a musical concept, but also as a metaphor for coexistence, where distinct traditions and identities maintain their integrity while contributing to a shared and meaningful whole.

A central element of the program is the joint performance of twenty children from different religious backgrounds, brought together by BRIDGES. Their shared presence and participation within the historic setting of the Royal Palace symbolize both the mission of the organization and a forward-looking vision of interfaith understanding.

The event takes place at the Royal Palace “Vrana”, whose architectural and historical significance provides an appropriate setting for an encounter characterized by dignity, continuity, and respect for tradition.

The artistic framework draws inspiration from Rococo and Classicism, complemented by elements of French Classicism and Baroque, in harmony with the palace interior. In 2026, the program also acknowledges a significant anniversary related to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, honoring his lasting contribution to European musical culture and the idea of harmony.

The visual identity of the event is defined by transformative teal in combination with antique gold. Transformative teal symbolizes transition, balance, and transformation, reflecting the meeting point between continuity and change, and the possibility of harmony without the loss of distinction. Antique gold represents light, enduring values, spiritual wisdom, and dignity shaped by time, evoking both cultural continuity and the presence of the sacred within history. Together, these colors convey the guiding principle of the event: tradition as a foundation for harmonious change.

The program brings together sacred music, classical and chamber works, poetry, and traditional dance, representing Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian spiritual and cultural traditions. The active participation of children and young people from the BRIDGES community is a defining element of the event. They are presented not solely as performers, but as representatives of a shared future grounded in dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding.

Short: Bridges of Harmony is an interfaith art performance organized by BRIDGES – Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Association on the occasion of the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) 2026, taking place on 21 February 2026 at the Royal Palace “Vrana” near Sofia. Held under the honorary patronage of H.E. Ms. Andrea Ikic-Böhm, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria, with the support of the Austrian Embassy in Sofia and in partnership with the Royal Palace “Vrana” and the “Tsar Boris III and Queen Giovanna Foundation”, the event presents interreligious dialogue as a living and transformative process. Through a carefully curated program of music, poetry, movement, and visual symbolism, representing Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian traditions, the performance illustrates harmony as coexistence without the loss of distinction. A central element of the event is the joint participation of children from different religious backgrounds, symbolizing a shared future grounded in dialogue, dignity, and mutual respect.