May, 23 ZNU Museum hosted the event dedicated to the Bulgarian language, culture and Slavic written language, which welcomed Bulgarian communities’ representatives from Zaporizhzhya region.
For the first time the Day of Bulgarian Written Language and Culture was celebrated on May 24, 1
854 in Plovdiv. Since then, educational institutions in Bulgaria honour the special date with Letters’ celebration and knowledge quiz. Members of Bulgarian community in Ukraine have carried out solemn ceremony just on the holiday eve. Meanwhile, Doctor of Philology Ivan Iliyev Simeonov engaged in teaching optional classes in Bulgarian language and culture in Zaporizhzhya National University, offered the guests to participate in open class hosted by students of ZNU and National Technical University.
At the event opening their welcome addresses delivered Department for Nationalities and Religions’ Affairs leading specialist Svitlana Yeriomenko and ZNU International Relations Office head Olena Tupakhina, who has informed on new specialization in the Bulgarian language to be introduced in the upcoming academic year at the Faculty of Philology.
Chairman of Zaporizhzhya Regional Society of Bulgarian Culture Vasyl Mitkov pointed out it was for the first time for Bulgarian community to celebrate Slavic Written Language and Culture Day in ZNU. He expressed his hope to see it a long-standing tradition further on. On behalf of the national society Vasyl Mitkov granted the icon of Sts. Cyril and Methodius along with Recipe Book of Bulgarian National Dishes.
Assoc. Prof. for the Department of Source Studies, Historiography and Special Historical Courses Volodymyr Milchev underlined the significance of preserving specific features of national culture and Slavic written language under present-day ‘pressure’ on the part of Western cultures. Fund for Bulgarian Culture Support director Semen Zheliev has presented everyone willing with ‘Bulgarian Songs’ discs by Petro Pietkov.
The festive atmosphere has been spread around by ‘Rodnina’ national music band performing songs in Bulgarian language, including widely-known and loved by Bulgarians ‘My Country, My Bulgaria’ song. The cultural programme was followed by students delivering their reports on the history, culture and language of Bulgaria.
Olena Khlistun
