site.btaBulgarian Sunday School Opens in Parcani, Transnistria

A Bulgarian Sunday school was opened for the first time in the village of Parcani, Transnistria, home to nearly 10,000 residents, most of whom are ethnic Bulgarians. The school will operate under the Embassy of Bulgaria in Moldova and will offer free classes in Bulgarian language, history, and geography for students from first to twelfth grade.

Classes will be held in a classroom of the Bulgarian community in Parcani, which was equipped by the Embassy at the end of 2023, further expanding the organization's activities in support of the local Bulgarian population, the diplomatic mission in Chisinau announced.

The school was officially opened by the First Secretary at the Bulgarian Embassy in Moldova, Kiril Dimitrov. He highlighted the important role of Sunday schools in preserving the national identity of Bulgarians abroad and their connection to the homeland.

Starting this year, children in the village will also be trained in authentic Bulgarian folklore and traditional dances by choreographer Kiril Belyov, seconded by the Bulgarian Education Ministry. 

Since 2023, thanks to the successful cooperation between the Embassy and the Bulgarian community in Parcani, additional classes in Bulgarian language, history, and traditions have been held in the village’s three schools and two kindergartens. These activities are funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria under the National Programme "Native Language and Culture Abroad."

In 2024, in partnership with the Moldovan Football Federation and the Association for the Development of the Bulgarian Community in Moldova, the Embassy implemented a project for the construction of a football field worth nearly EUR 100,000.