site.btaBulgarian School in LA Awards Vice President Iotova with Diploma for Preserving Bulgarian Identity Abroad

During her visit to Los Angeles on Saturday, Vice President Iliana Iotova visited the St St Cyril and Methodius Bulgarian School, the President's press secretariat reported. The Bulgarian School presented her with a diploma for her activity for preserving the Bulgarian identity among expatriates and her support for Bulgarian schools abroad.

Iotova expressed the presidential institution's support. "We will continue to be with you just like until now, you can rely on my and President Rumen Radev's support," she said.

Together with the pupils, parents, and teachers from the school, Iotova marked National Awakeners' Day, November 1. The Vice President thanked the teachers for teaching the children what the unique Bulgarian word "awakener" means. "Awakeners are the prominent figures in Bulgarian history who are the basis of the awakening of a nation after five centuries of slavery, which wants its place on the political map of the world, its independence and identity. It all started with Paisius of Hilendar's little book Slav-Bulgarian History, which awakened the self-confidence of the Bulgarians and bequeathed to the next generations the great mission for the creation of the Bulgarian nation and state," Iotova said in her address.

She stressed that the awakeners' work is not only history, it exists today, it will exist tomorrow. She described the Bulgarian teachers as the modern awakeners. "The mission of the Bulgarian teacher abroad is even more difficult and responsible. It takes tremendous effort and skill to attract the interest of children, to get them to attend school even on weekends," the Vice President said.

Iotova thanked the parents for their dedication. "We are on the same team with teachers because we want our children to grow up healthy and calm, to develop their talents, to have dreams and a future, to be good people," she said. She noted that she keeps in her office the drawings presented to her by the Bulgarian school children in 2019, when they celebrated together the National Day of Bulgaria, March 3.

"Wherever we live in the world, let us not forget that we are descendants of a thousand-year history, of a spiritual empire with a huge influence today. Let us draw on the life-giving juices of our roots. In today's conflicted world, it is even more important to guard our identity. It is easier to fight difficulties when we know who we are," the Vice President underscored.

Iotova presented the school with a special anniversary edition of Dr Petar Beron's The Fish Primer, which marks 200 years since its publication, as well as Bulgarian textbooks and books.