“Beauty sometimes emerges unexpected. It may appear as a bush all in frost or a violet in the woods; the smile of a child or a noble deed. What matters is to be capable of noticing it” – used to say great Bulgarian poetess Leda Mileva. She is the daughter of talented poet and publicist Geo Milev, prominent representative of expressionism in Bulgarian literature. On February 5 we mark Leda Mileva’s 100^th birth anniversary. That is an occasion for launching a series of events – meetings, recitals and initiatives related to the poetess. She is the author of over 30 volumes of verse for children, theater and radio plays, which have been translated into English, French, German, Russian, Polish languages among others. She wrote numerous articles on issues related to literature, translation and international cultural exchange. Mileva was a translator of contemporary English, American and African poetry. After World War 2, in the period 1944 – 1951 Leda Mileva was in charge of the children and youth department of Radio Sofia, editor in chief of periodicals for children; and in the period 1966-1970 she was heading the Bulgarian National Television. In the 1970s Mileva was working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and until the end of 1978 she was ambassador and resident representative of Bulgaria in UNESCO. After her return to Bulgaria Leda Mileva took up the position of Chair of the Union of Translators in the course of ten years and founded the Panorama Magazine for foreign literature. She was also long standing chair of the Bulgarian center of PEN International.

Leda Mileva left us on her birthday in 1913, but the memory of her personality is still glowing. The great attention given to the preparation of the programme for the commemoration of her birth anniversary is a proof to that end. Events on the occasion are staged at Sofia City Library. One of them is the special exposition launched by the Archives Department, of personal belongings, presented for the occasion by the writer’s relatives. Among them there are international distinctions and awards, personal correspondence, books containing autographs, as well as translated editions.

One of the most interesting exponents is a book of verse the poetess wrote when only 9 years old. Events marking the 100^th birth anniversary of poetess Leda Mileva will be on until February 14. “We will also remember the great poet through the film made by her nephew – Professor Avramov”, says Marchela Borissova, deputy director of the library.

“Leda Mileva was a friend of Sofia City Library, since she first visited in 2000. We are marking her centennial anniversary with a rich list of cultural events, most of which will be conducted at our youth department. We start on February 5 at the “Fairy Tale Room”, which is from now on to be named after Leda Mileva. There is big interest in these events. We will be having visiting groups from schools and kindergartens.

On February 5, in the evening, jointly with the Bulgarian PEN International, the Union of Writers and the Zahari Stoyanov Publishing House, we are to validate, with a ceremony here at the Library, a postal stamp dedicated to the jubilee of the prominent Bulgarian writer. We are also showing out exposition entitled “Leda Mileva’s Children World”, consisting of books and editions of her works, which we have been keeping and popularizing through the years for Bulgaria’s youngest readers.”

Photos: Gergana Mancheva and BGNES