site.btaCyrillic Alphabet in Focus of International Forum Initiated by Vice President Iotova

A two-day international forum on the Cyrillic alphabet, initiated by Vice President Iliana Iotova, opened in Sofia on Thursday. Themed "Alphabet. Language. Identity", the conference is a follow-up to a forum organized in 2022 with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science.

Over 30 renowned Slavic studies specialists from 11 countries, together with Bulgarian colleagues, are discussing the importance of letters, words, language, and culture for the Slavic heritage, its preservation and dissemination in today’s world, and the importance of language and identity in the processes of globalization. The key role of Bulgaria in the creation of the third Christian civilization, the Slavic one, is being highlighted.

Opening remarks

President Rumen Radev welcomed the participants. He said Bulgarians have managed to preserve the feeling of national identity, because they celebrate Alphabet Day every year on May 24. He noted that a millennium ago, Bulgaria became one of the cultural and spiritual centres of Europe. The Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture have led the nation through centuries of oppression, Radev said.

Vice President Iliana Iotova called for "continued exploration of the rich Bulgarian and Slavic cultural heritage, and drawing strength from its wisdom". The Vice President said that Bulgarian medieval culture was one of 70 civilizations in history that played a responsible mediating role of a connecting link between the East and the West.

Education and Science Minister Galin Tsokov said that his ministry has implemented key policies to enhance academic collaboration by funding overseas Bulgarian language lectureships. This academic year, 29 lecturers have been sent abroad, with three in Asia and the remainder in Europe, he added and acknowledged the vital role of partner universities in this initiative.

Scholars' statements

Italian Slavic studies professor Marco Scarpa believes that it is important to preserve what he calls "Europe's polyphony" and said that Bulgaria contributes to it. The professor warned against reducing the richness of languages, which would happen if people spoke mostly English, for example, and called for using the diversity of languages. This diversity makes cultures richer, he said. During the forum, Prof. Scarpa presented a report on the literary and cultural peak during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.

Alessandro Maria Bruni, an Italian professor of Slavic studies, told BTA that the Cyrillic alphabet holds a central place on the map of European languages. As a scholar, Prof. Bruni is most interested in Old Bulgarian studies. He said in the interview that his focus is on the history of the earliest Bulgarian translations from Greek, including works by the brothers Cyril and Methodius and the texts of Preslav, especially translations of works by Greek clerics such as Gregory the Theologian, as well as Bible (mainly Old Testament) translations.

Greek scholar Maria Litina described the Cyrillic script as a divine language. Litina studied history in Bulgaria, and her interest lies in Bulgarian-Greek relations, the 19th and 20th centuries, and education. She presented a comparative study of Bulgarian and Greek girls' schools in Macedonia in the 19th century and the early 20th century. Litina said she would continue her research using the Bulgarian state archives.

Austrian scholar Dr Daniel Ziemann told BTA: "I am a historian and I am most impressed by the Middle Ages and medieval writings in Bulgaria." According to him, the Cyrillic script "can more easily render all those letters that Greek and Latin don't have enough capacity for." He said the Cyrillic alphabet certainly has a connection with religion and Christianity, as well as identity.

The International Cyrillic Forum "Alphabet. Language. Identity" is a two-day conference initiated by Vice President Iliana Iotova and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science. It is discussing the significance of letters, words, language, and culture for the Slavic heritage, its preservation and dissemination in today’s world, and the importance of language and identity in the processes of globalization, highlighting Bulgaria's key role in the creation and preservation of Slavic civilization. The event is taking place in Sofia on June 27 and Plovdiv on June 28.