In the 1920s, Bulgarian gardeners valued for their skills settled in the surroundings of the big Czech cities. And in order for their children to know their roots and native language, they created a private Bulgarian school. ‎

Narrating the 75-year history of the Bulgarian secondary school "Dr. Petar Beron" in Prague, its principal Maria Nosikova emphasizes the pioneering work of the once-patriotic Bulgarians. And although the current school was opened in 1948 by a decision of the Ministry of Public Education, it is them that their modern-day successors name as the spiritual founders. ‎

“We are to celebrate the anniversary of the school with many events”, - Maria Nosikova tells Radio Bulgaria. “The main one is the festive concert under the motto "75 years of Bulgarian spirit, culture and enlightenment in the heart of Europe", which will take place on March 31 in the great hall of the city library in Prague. Then, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., on the Old Town Square in the very heart of the city, there will be an open stage where the many visiting groups - mostly from Bulgaria - will have the opportunity to perform. The Easter bazaar will also be located there. And since many Bulgarians and not only are expected, we would like to show the authentic face of our country."‎

In order to revive dear memories of the time spent at the Bulgarian school, of people from different generations will gather or the first time at a reunion of school alumni. Two of them - Tsvetelinka Malcheva and Ivo Rashev managed to find nearly 200 former students and sent invitations to all of them. "We have more than a hundred people confirmed and we are looking forward to the event," says the director. Maria Nosikova directs ‎attention to the achievements of the youngest.‎

"We are very proud of our athletes who came here because they were accepted into elite hockey teams. They are also part of the national ice hockey team of Bulgaria, and one of them, Nino Tomov, is already playing for Canada. 

We are also proud of our children who, after finishing school, continue their education both in Bulgarian universities and in the Czech Republic and Germany. Last year we were very pleased with our students who were accepted to Charles University in Prague - one of the most elite in Europe."‎

Currently, the Bulgarian school in Prague is attended by 130 students from the 1^st to the 11^th grade. After the ebb due to the coronavirus pandemic and the return of many families to Bulgaria, the school enjoys increased interest. Moreover, not only from Bulgarian children, but also from foreign origins - Armenian, Syrian, Russian-Polish, Ukrainian. 

"We look to the future and to the challenges ahead," says the school principal. And since we are having our conversation on the eve of the elections, this is why it is essential, according to her, to be active citizens and to awaken our consciousness from school age:‎

"It is extremely important for every person to have a civic position if we really want our country to have a future, to feel normality”, points out Maria Nosikova. “We live here and we can see a noticeable difference between what life is in Bulgaria and how things are in the Czech Republic. And if we want our country to move forward, we must not only vote, but also learn from the good experience others have. The difference is in the economic standard, in trust in the institutions. The Czechs often conduct polls aimed at civil society, and one of them was a survey of which institutions in the country are most trusted. In the first place they had indicated the police, and in the second place – the court. That explains a lot.”‎

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Photos are courtesy of the Bulgarian School "Petar Beron in Prague 

Translated and published by Rositsa Petkova