site.btaCross-border Cultural Projects between Bulgaria and Greece Are Significant for Entire Region, Says Project Manager Katya Stoyanova

The cross-border project, titled "Creation of a cultural dipole in the cross border area" between Bulgaria and Greece is very important not only for Petrich, Southwestern Bulgaria, but also for the entire region, said Katya Stoyanova, project manager in the Municipality of Petrich on Tuesday. She was speaking at the 5th Bulgaria-Greece cross-border conference, held as part of BTA's project "Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future". The conference is held simultaneously in Thessaloniki and Blagoevgrad.

Stoyanova pointed out that the project was a chance to partner with a Greek municipality, to invest and develop policies and economies in Bulgaria and Greece. As part of the project, the History Museum in Petrich found a new location, she added.

Stoyanova explained that the partnership between the two municipalities dates back 19 years, as they had various joint projects. The last one that was implemented started in 2015, focusing on the field of culture, with the establishment of cultural spaces in demilitarized buildings in two locations, in Petrich and Serres respectively. The idea was to create a cultural bridge between the municipalities.

The leading beneficiary of the project was the Municipality of Serres, and the other partners were the Municipality of Petrich, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece.

Stoyanova explained that the limited space, the lack of an accessible environment for disadvantaged people and the difficult realization of new exhibitions were the main reasons why the Petrich Municipality started discussing the project with the the Municipality of Serres, which had a similar problem and had plans to establish an art gallery for contemporary art by one of the most famous Greek artists, Constantin Xenakis. This project was a chance to solve these similar problems, she added.

The head of the project indicated that the work in Bulgaria started in 2019, and in 2022 the new museum space in Petrich was opened. In the beginning, the plan was to change only the infrastructure, but as the work progressed it was evident that a museum's location is a place that is necessary in people's daily lives.
Stoyanova said that the city park in Petrich was realized under another project, and the museum is located in the park. She noted that this changed the entire outlook of the city. The space showcases the history of Petrich from the time before Christ until now, the exhibition space in the museum is modern and attractive, and the cultural centre hosts many small events, explained Stoyanova.

The museum also hosts many temporary exhibitions, a museum workshop for children, and also has enough space for concerts and public events. Since its opening, the number of visitors to the Petrich Historical Museum has been over 27,000, Stoyanova said.