site.btaVice President Iotova Unveils 4th Thread from the Root Bulgarian Gathering in Germany

Vice President Iliana Iotova unveiled the 4th Thread from the Root Bulgarian Folklore Gathering in the German city of Munster on Saturday, the President's press secretariat reported Sunday. The gathering, held under her auspices on May 18 and 19, brought together participants from across Germany, neighbouring countries, and Bulgaria.

Participating are 17 dance groups as well as the official guests: a representative group of 11 dancers, singers and musicians from the Pirin Ensemble, the organizers from The Little Bulgaria Bulgarian Cultural Association said on Facebook. In addition to their individual performances during the two days, the groups will be joined by 10-year-old Maximilian Mitev (bagpipe) from Papenburg and 9-year-old Magdalena Stefanov (singer) from Mende.

Opening the event, Iotova said that there is no little Bulgaria: "there is one Bulgaria and it is our homeland". Bulgarians carry its image deep in their hearts, and "it makes us strong and proud Bulgarians". "Regardless of where we have chosen to live, we are connected by an unbreakable thread," she added.

Iotova thanked those in attendance for passing on the love and knowledge of Bulgaria to the generations. "Although more and more Bulgarian children are born abroad, thanks to sincere patriots like you the Bulgarian spirit and Bulgarian traditions are preserved and spread. This is how Bulgaria will survive," the Vice President said in her address.

"We are on the eve of the most Bulgarian, the holiest and the most uniting holiday, May 24. Eleven centuries ago, Bulgaria created an alphabet that today is written by over 300 million people around the world. Bulgaria spread spirituality and literacy to the whole Slavic world. Bulgarians are the only ones in Europe born from the pen, the word and writing. There is no other nation with its own anthem for letters, with a celebration of its literacy and culture," Iotova said. She pointed out that this great history makes us heirs of the vast spiritual territory of Bulgaria. The Vice President thanked for the active work of Bulgarian societies abroad and Bulgarian Sunday schools.

Earlier in the day, Iliana Iotova met with representatives of the local government in Munster, to whom she expressed her gratitude for the support of the Bulgarian community to preserve its identity.