site.btaConference on Bulgarian Communities in Balkans Takes Place in Sofia

A scientific conference titled "Bulgarian Communities in the Balkans (1878–2025)", bringing together representatives of Bulgarian communities from North Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, Albania, Turkiye, Greece and Serbia, was held at the Rila Hotel in Sofia on Friday.

The conference was part of the research project "Bulgarians in the Balkans Beyond the Border after 1878: Code of Survival", funded by the Research Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science. The forum highlighted the need for more active public, academic and institutional support for Bulgarian communities abroad and for preserving the national spirit, cultural memory and Bulgarian identity across the Balkans.

The conference was opened by Stoyan Denchev, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies, who welcomed the participants and wished the forum productive and successful discussions.

Among the official guests was Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev. Greetings were also delivered by the project's lead researcher, Boryana Buzhashka, who presented the project's main objectives, tasks and research findings.

Representatives of the President's Secretariat, including Milena Dimitrova, as well as Rayna Mandzhukova, Chair of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, expressed support and commitment to the issues addressed within the project.

Representatives of Bulgarian communities from North Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, Albania, Turkiye, Greece and Serbia took part in the conference. They shared their views on the current situation, challenges and prospects facing Bulgarian communities outside the country's borders.

Their presentations highlighted issues related to preserving Bulgarian national identity, language, historical memory and cultural heritage, as well as the role of local Bulgarian associations.

An exhibition titled "Bulgarians in the Balkans Beyond the Border after 1878: The Code of Survival" was also opened during the event. The exhibition offers a concise overview of the fate of Bulgarian communities in Albania, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Turkiye through testimonies reflecting both their past and present.