site.btaUPDATED BTA Director General Valchev Says Next World Meeting of Bulgarian Media Will Be Held in Odessa

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev Sunday announced the next World Meeting of Bulgarian Media would be held in Odessa, in June 2024 if possible. Valchev addressed the participants in the 18th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, organized by BTA, which is ending in Kazanlak on Sunday.

The proposed timing of the next meeting was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the discovery of the treasure of Khan Kubrat (605-665), the founder of Old Great Bulgaria. The treasure discovered near the Ukrainian village of Malaya Pereshchepina is the largest known treasure from the Early Middle Ages. It contains over 800 gold and silver objects weighing a total of 76 kg.

"There is a monument in Ukraine put up by Bulgarians. We will also try to hold one of our meetings in the old high school in Bolhrad," Valchev said.

"This will demonstrate our support for the Bulgarian community in Ukraine. Hopefully, by the end of June, BTA will open a permanent press club in Odessa, like the ones in other countries with Bulgarian communities," the Director General said.

He recalled that journalists have a mission to cover the war all the time, not just when it starts, but to have a constant media presence there. That is why BTA will have a permanent correspondent in Odessa and will try to help all Bulgarian media with information from there. At least 200,000 Bulgarians live in that region, and about 50-60,000 in Odessa alone. 

"See you next year, hopefully in a peaceful Ukraine," Valchev said.

The participants in this meeting gathered in Kazanlak, in the Valley of Roses, which is also the Valley of Thracian Kings, at the time of the Rose Festival that has been marked for 120 years. The meeting opened on June 2, the day of the heroic death of poet Hristo Botev, whose bequest is that he who is free is immortal. Now the meeting is closing on one of the Great Christian feasts, Pentecost, the BTA Director General said.

Valchev recalled the narrative of the 50th day after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, on which all the apostles, Mary and some other disciples of His gathered to pray in the morning, as they had done in the preceding days. All at once, there was a mighty gushing of wind, the Holy Spirit, which filled them, and tongues as of fire appeared. Then all began to speak in different tongues, as the Holy Spirit had given them. Pentecost was also the day when Apostle Peter gave his first homily, Valchev said, pointing out that journalists from 33 countries speaking numerous languages gathered in Kazanlak, but were united by one thing – the desire to ensure the freedom of choice for the audience their information has. Referring to Apostle Peter's homily once again, he recalled that some of the witnesses thought the speakers were drunk, but the apostle assured them they were wrong and what they were seeing "And we have known since then that being inspired together in a community is not drunkenness. On the contrary, it is doing as it says in the Acts of the Holy Apostles in the New Testament - all together, and enjoying the favour of all people," the BTA Director General added.  

Valchev recalled that 33 countries were represented at the 18th World Meeting held in Kazanlak. The participants represented 40 Bulgarian media 26 from 15 countries in Europe, America and Australia, and 14 from Bulgaria, as well as three associations of journalists and media and the Faculty of Journalism of Bulgaria's oldest university, the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. Foreign journalists from BTA partners, the national news agencies of 18 countries, also attended the meeting.

Valchev presented to President Rumen Radev a commemorative coin celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Bulgarian News Agency marked in 2023.

BTA is organizing the 18th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media in Kazanlak from June 1 to June 4, 2023, with the assistance of the Municipality of Kazanlak, the 13 Centuries Bulgaria National Endowment Fund, Aurubis Bulgaria, Doverie Pension Assurance Company, Post Bank, A1 and Nestle Bulgaria AD.