Switzerland is one of the smaller Central European countries on the Old Continent. It consists of twenty-six cantons with a population of about 9 million people, according to the latest Eurostat data from 2024. 41% of those residing in the country are foreign citizens, which is completely natural given the fact that the headquarters of numerous international organizations and institutions are located in Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and Bern. According to data from the Bulgarian Embassy, ​​in the federal city of Bern, as of 2024, the number of registered Bulgarians living and working in Switzerland is over 13,000 people. 

Plamen Ivanov himself has been living and working in the country with one of the most developed economies in the world and a high standard of living for 12 years. He arrived for love, following his wife's professional growth. The two first settled in Geneva and began to build their lives there. 

They created a home, became parents, found friends and joined the Bulgarian community in the second largest city in Switzerland. In 2019, Plamen Ivanov became one of the founders, and later the second chairman, of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community "Nativity of the Virgin Mary" (Rojdestvo Bogorodichno) in Geneva. Shortly after, the family moved to Lausanne for the education of their eldest son. It was there that the Bulgarian and his like-minded people decided to found the "Kanatitza" Association, with the aim of preserving and spreading the Bulgarian language, culture and traditions. The year was 2021.

"That was exactly when the Covid pandemic was happening, nothing was happening, there were no events, no gatherings. The Bulgarian community here in Lausanne is scattered, unevenly distributed over a very large area, and the need, the necessity to come together, to speak the native language, to share, to organize musical, artistic evenings, film screenings is great. This was the main reason that made a group of four idealists come together and decide to establish such an association. And most of all, the idea was for these events with and for Bulgarians to be regular. 

And in practice, this happened - we have been working for five years now, we have held more than 80 events, people learned about us, understand about our events and participate in them. The idea was supported by more than 40 prominent Bulgarians at a founding meeting. And I can now say quite calmly and with satisfaction that we are the most representative association of Bulgarians in Switzerland. Compatriots come from Zurich, from Bern, from Geneva, from Biel, from neighboring France and other distant places, just to be part of these celebrations of Bulgarian traditions," says Plamen Ivanov.