site.btaConsulate General in Odesa Organizes Meeting of Bulgarian Community, Cultural Programme for Bulgarian National Day

On the occasion of Bulgaria's National Day, March 3, the Bulgarian Consulate General in Odesa in cooperation with the BTA National Press Club in the city organized a meeting with representatives of the Bulgarian community from Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions and a cultural programme on Saturday. Those in attendance heard addresses by Bulgarian Consul General Svetoslav Ivanov and Rositsa Kirova, Chair of the parliamentary Committee on Direct Participation of Citizens, Citizens’ Complaints and Interaction with Civil Society, as well as a video address by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and folk singer Ilia Lukov from Sofia.

Addressing the event, Bulgarian Consul General Ivanov said: "Keep the Bulgarian roots in your hearts and continue to develop the Bulgarian culture and language away from the Motherland Bulgaria." He congratulated the Bulgarian community on behalf of Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev and himself on the National Day. Ivanov went on to recall the events that led to and followed the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, starting from March 3, 1878. The history of Bessarabian Bulgarians is part of Bulgaria's history, and "as Ukrainian citizens of Bulgarian origin, you can be proud of that," he told those in attendance. "You are currently going through the most difficult part of Ukraine's history, and the public activity you are developing to preserve the old Bulgarian traditions is important for us," Ivanot noted. 

"Today we bow to those revivalists, revolutionaries and awakeners who have given their lives for the freedom of Bulgaria," he added. He stressed the fact that during the Ottoman rule, some of Bulgaria's revolutionaries and awakeners, writers and satirists, such as Hristo Botev, Ivan Vazov, Aleko Konstantinov, lived in Odesa.

Parliamentary Committee Chair Kirova said: "I am happy that for the second year in a row, I am here and I have the privilege to experience these bright holidays with you - the guardians of the Bulgarian spirit in Ukraine and the Bulgarian traditions. Family roots are the strongest link between people, even when their fate has scattered them around the world and taken them miles away from their homelands, from the lands where their ancestors were born. For the homeland is not just a geographical concept, it is a spiritual unity, the unity of its daughters and sons."

"Today, we are together to celebrate the National Day of Bulgaria, to bow with gratitude to the memory of our ancestors who died for the freedom of the Fatherland, to confirm the traditionally close cultural, historical and friendly ties between the Ukrainian and Bulgarian people," Kirova went on to say. "Let us remember that the Bulgarians in Ukraine are an inseparable part of Bulgarian history, of the legitimate root of our ancient people for freedom and independence and for human dignity. Let us remember the invaluable contribution of the Bessarabian Bulgarians to our national and spiritual growth, because the indissoluble link of the Bessarabian Bulgarians with such colossuses as [revolutionary and poet Hristo] Botev, [writer Ivan] Vazov and [writer] Aleko Konstantinov will always remain in the memory of our people," she added.

"I am here today to pay tribute to you, our compatriots who live in Ukraine, but who carry Bulgaria in their hearts and have kept Bulgarian traditions and customs for centuries. It is admirable that even in times of hardship you show indomitable spirit, vitality and energy and carry out your patriotic mission," Kirova addressed the participants in the meeting. "Cultural and educational organizations and Bulgarian Sunday schools are living hearths where Bulgarian memory and sparks of patriotism continue to exist. And they are passed from generation to generation to your children, and they will pass them on to theirs," the Committee Chair noted.

She assured the Bulgarian community that every new initiative for their welfare and well-being will meet her support and that of her colleagues not only in Parliament, but also as Bulgarian citizens. "I hope this is a message that you are not alone, especially in these difficult times when Ukraine is fighting every minute for its freedom, for its sovereignty, fighting for justice. Especially at this time, we all realise how important freedom is. Today, our cherished wish is one - a wish for peace, a wish for prosperity wherever Bulgarians live and raise their children in spirit and with Bulgarian roots," Kirova concluded.

In the video address, BTA Director General Valchev said: "Dear Bulgarians who have gathered in Odesa to celebrate the National Day of Bulgaria, March 3, happy holiday from the BTA in Sofia, whose building is lit up in the colours of the Bulgarian flag. I wish you many holidays in your souls, not in the calendar, because the greatest holiday for the soul is freedom."

"During these three difficult years of war, we did many things together," he underscored and pointed out that the BTA opened a national press club in Odesa with a permanent correspondent, many meetings were held, including the 19th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, which was also in Odesa. "And the last thing we did together was the concert to celebrate the Day of Bessarabian Bulgarians, October 29, the concert in the park near the BTA National Press Club, on Deribasovska Street. The concert of Desi Dobreva and your ensembles from different villages of Odesa region", Valchev recalled.

"Now we are at the BTA together with Mr. Ilia Lukov, with whom we have just signed an agreement, with which we will jointly organize the celebration of October 29, the Day of Bessarabian Bulgarians this year, with concerts organized by the National Press Club of the BTA in Odesa, the Consulate General in Odesa and personally by Consul General Svetoslav Ivanov, whom I personally congratulate," said the Director General.

He said that the week before, after and during the celebration, Lukov will give concerts in other settlements in Odesa Region: Bolhrad, Izmail, Kamchik, Kulevcha, and also to Bulgarians in Taraclia in Moldova.

A special greeting to the Bulgarians in Ukraine was also given by Lukov - the song Call for Bulgaria, which is based on a text by the Bessarabian Bulgarian poet Petar Burlak-Valkanov. "With this song, we started the concert in Hall 1 [of the National Palace of Culture] in Sofia on October 29. I am happy that in the hall there were more than 300 of our young students from Moldova, Ukraine, Kosovo, Albania, Western suburbs", said Lukov. "Call for Bulgaria is a greeting to all of you, a wonderful embrace that can give you strength in times when it is not easy for you," the singer also said. 

After the meeting, the participants and guests attended a classical music concert at the Odesa Opera.

Minutes after the concert's end, a loud explosion shook Odesa. The audience hid in the opera's bomb shelter, including Committee Chair Kirova.