site.btaProf Marie Vrinat-Nikolov Made Honorary Doctor of Sofia University

Prof Marie Vrinat-Nikolov was awarded an honorary doctorate for her exceptional services to Slavic studies, Bulgarian studies and translation by the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia on Tuesday. The proposal came from the Faculty of Slavic Studies of Bulgaria's oldest university.

Prof Vrinat-Nikolov is one of the most outstanding researchers of Bulgarian literature and culture and a leading translator from Bulgarian in France. She was born in Nevers, France, graduated in linguistics from the Paris Descartes University in 1983 and in Bulgarian studies from INALCO (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales) and earned an MA in Classical Literatures in 1985. She studied at Ecole Normale Superior.

Vrinat-Nikolov said she was thrilled, happy and proud. She said it was in the summer of 1982 that she first set foot in the impressive building of Sofia University but she never thought she would be welcomed for such a ceremony. She did not think this was possible during the years when she taught History of Translation at Sofia University's Department of Romance Studies and Translation Theory in the Translator-Editor Master's Programme directed by Prof Amelia Licheva.

The French professor gave an acceptance speech on how to think/make Bulgarian literature a literature of and in the world.

Prof Vrinat-Nikolov has contributed to the entire Bulgarian literature and culture and to Bulgaria as a whole, said Prof Licheva, Dean of the Faculty of Slavic Studies.

Vrinat-Nikolov held a number of academic positions at INALCO and has been Director of the Institute's Press since 2019. She was an attache at the French Institute in Sofia between 1994 and 1998, and then at the French Embassy in Budapest.

She holds an honorary diploma for contribution to the dissemination and development of Bulgarian culture from the Ministry of Culture (1997), a certificate of merit to Bulgarian studies for a significant contribution to the analysis and dissemination of Bulgarian literature from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (2001), the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier) from the French Culture Ministry (2004), and the Golden Age Badge of Honour of the Bulgarian Culture Ministry (2015). She was granted Bulgarian citizenship by merit a few years ago and is an honorary member of the Association of Bulgarian Writers (2003).