With ancient maps all around, and Bulgaria depicted on every single one – even when it was part of the Ottoman Empire – the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute marked its 15^th anniversary. At the “Mission” gallery visitors and diplomats listened to stories told by emigrant Dr. Simeon Simov about his invaluable collections of over 4,000 maps, books and prints. It is Dr. Simov’s will that the items he has collected over decades, remain in his country, in archives, museums and universities.

Dr. Simeon Simov, a doctor of world renown, specializing in artificial insemination, with long years of practice in Germany, has already donated a large part of his maps to the state archives. The next task he has set himself is to equip a room at the music academy, where the 1,500 records he is donating can be listened to.

“Dr. Simeon Simov is a major benefactor in this country, he is a role model and an inspiration with his attitude to history, to the legacy we should all leave behind us,” says Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute, at the opening of the exhibition “15 old maps of Bulgaria to mark 15 years Diplomatic Institute”. “By donating so many old maps, prints and books to the Archives State Agency, he is tracing the good deeds of many other Bulgarians. Having been infected by the idea of maps, we are following up on his efforts, and have been preparing exhibitions of items from his collection for years. What is most astonishing is that on the old geographical maps made by European cartographers, Bulgaria is invariably there with its name – even in the times when it was not an independent state.”

Dr. Simeon Simov got the collector’s “bug” quite unexpectedly in Paris, where he had defected after the communists came to power in Bulgaria. There, he wanted to buy a map of Bulgaria and the salesman asked him: “Where is that country?"

“This is the first printed map of the world, dated to 1476,” Dr. Simeon Simov explains as he stands in front of the maps he has donated. “There are two maps from that year – one was printed in Rome and is called the Roman map, the other in Venice – hence its name is the Venetian map.”

“This map of Europe is from 1500 – it is from Basel. It is a first-rate map with the whole of Europe shown as different little states, and Bulgaria in the middle. Together, all of the countries form an empress – Europe is depicted as a woman.”

“This is the first cartouche map made, and it is from 1737. It is the first Bulgarian map – a map only of Bulgaria in the fullest sense of the word.”

The Diplomatic Institute was established 15 years ago when this country was in the process of EU and NATO accession negotiations, and it is the first diplomatic school in the country’s modern history. And as the world is changing, and so have the existing threats, in our day diplomats have to address more and more challenges. The high-risk challenges they have to face are connected with politics as such, but also terrorism, cybersecurity and many more.

But are Bulgarian professionals well prepared?

“There is always room for improvement,” says Tanya Mihaylov and adds: “There are times when I regret the fact that latter-day diplomats are so different from the traditional idea of a diplomat. Of course they are expected to possess all the skills of a classical diplomat – like knowing foreign languages, keeping up an active communication, conducting negotiations, building trust. But the world is much more open, and nowadays diplomats should also be masters of what is known as public diplomacy – the ability to communicate with circles outside of the official domain so as to present Bulgaria through events and initiatives, something that was not inherent to the diplomats of old, they should be able to use social media.  Still, I think that classical requirements are important, and by upgrading them, a young diplomat can become multifunctional.”

English version: Milena Daynova