site.btaBTA, Archives State Agency to Stage Exhibition of Famous "Bulgarian Czechs" in Bulgarian Post-liberation History

BTA, Archives State Agency to Stage Exhibition of Famous "Bulgarian Czechs" in Bulgarian Post-liberation History

Sofia, April 19 (BTA) - The Bulgarian News Agency and the Archives State Agency are organizing a documentary exhibition titled "The Bulgarian Czechs". The exhiibition will be shown during the 12th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media in Prague in May as a sign of gratitude to the Czech State and People, who have helped and contributed to Bulgaria's recovery following its liberation from Ottoman rule, the organizers said.

Bulgaria's new history and public life abounds in Czech names. The show consists of 27 boards depicting photographs and documents pertaining to some of the most famous "Bulgarian Czechs". They include the historian and first minister of enlightenment - Konstantin Jirecek; the founder of the National Academy of Arts - Ivan Mrkvicka; the composer - Ivan Cibulka, and the Czech master brewer - Franz Milde.

Most of the landmarks in Sofia and other Bulgarian cities were built by Czechs. The Proshek brothers - entrepreneurs, builders and engineers, who designed Sofia's famous Eagle's Bridge and Lion's Bridge, the Sofia central railway station and the Port of Varna. They also developed Sofia's first urban plan. The foundations of Bulgarian archaeology were laid by the two Czech brothers - Karel and Hermann Skorpil, who also helped launch museum work in this country.

The exhibition will also feature many other prominent Czechs who have contributed to Bulgaria's cultural life and development, such as the founder of Bulgarian entomology and natural sciences - Academician Ivan Bures; the famous painter and master of battle scenes - Yaroslav Vesin; Czech agronomist, botanist and pioneer of modern apiculture - Vaclav Stribrny, among many others.

The 12th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media will be held in the Czech capital Prague between May 17 and 21. The theme of this year's event will be "The Media and Civic Causes." The annual World Meetings of Bulgarian Media, organized by BTA and the Association of Bulgarian Media Worldwide, bring together journalists from Bulgaria and around the world.