site.btaPresident Radev Opens Exhibition Dedicated to Glagolitic Alphabet at Jagiellonian University Library

President Rumen Radev opened an exhibition dedicated to the Glagolitic alphabet at the Jagiellonian Library in Krakow, Poland. "Bulgarians, as direct heirs of the work of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II as co-patrons of Europe, are obliged to preserve and develop this heritage. We highly appreciate that we are together with Poland in this noble mission," the Bulgarian President said, quoted by his Press Secretariat on Thursday.

Noting the deep historical and cultural ties between Bulgaria and Poland, the Bulgarian head of State expressed gratitude for the contribution of Polish researchers in promoting Bulgaria's role in the formation of Slavic culture and world cultural heritage.

Titled Stories from Glagolitic Times, the exposition was prepared by a team led by Associate Professor Yavor Miltenov from the Bulgarian Language Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and presents little-known facts about the oldest Slavic alphabet and Bulgaria's role in its preservation. For the first time, valuable original manuscripts in Glagolitic and Cyrillic, which are in the Jagiellonian Library, are also displayed. The opening of the exhibition in the Jagiellonian University'd Library was attended by its Director Prof.Remigiusz Sapa and the University's Rector Prof. Piotr Jedynak. The opening ceremony brought together at the Jagiellonian Library students of Bulgarian studies, representatives of the Bulgarian community, scholars from the Institute of Slavic Philology at the University.

The Bulgarian head of State pointed out that this year marks the 1,161st anniversary of the creation of the Glagolitic alphabet, which, together with the Cyrillic alphabet, is deeply inscribed in the cultural development and spirituality of the Bulgarian people and State and has made an indisputable contribution to the development of the Slavic cultural space. We have a duty to continue to develop this wealth, Radev said, highlighting the role of the Bulgarian studies students in Krakow.

In the President's words, the deepening of economic contacts between Bulgaria and Poland will also contribute to increasing the interest of the youth of both countries in the culture of their countries.  

"This exhibition provides an opportunity to show how important Bulgaria's place is as a country where extremely valuable monuments of culture and writing were created," said for his part the Director of the Jagiellonian Library, Prof. Sapa. Rector Jedynak noted at the opening of the exhibition that Slavic Studies is about 200 years old at Jagiellonian University, while Bulgarian Studies is about 100 years old and has been taught as a separate field and major for 80 years.

President Radev and the University's and the Library's management discussed the intensive scientific exchange between Bulgaria and Poland, as well as the prospects for the development of future partnerships.

Earlier in the day, Rumen Radev awarded the Honorary Consul of Bulgaria in Krakow, Wieslaw Nowak, with a Presidential Badge of Honour for his support for the dissemination of the Bulgarian language and culture and his overall contribution to the development of bilateral relations. Among the initiatives supported by the Honorary Consul is the opening of a branch of the Bulgarian Sunday School in Krakow, named after Bulgarian writer Dora Gabe. The premises for the school, provided free of charge by Wiesław Nowak, are also the main meeting place for the Bulgarian diaspora throughout the region. As Honorary Consul of Bulgaria, Nowak has implemented a number of activities to promote the Bulgarian language and culture in Poland, as well as to promote bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries. 

President Radev hosted a meeting with the honorary consuls of Bulgaria in Poland. In the course of the talks, the prospects for joint activities between Poland and Bulgaria were discussed.