Two days with the traditions of the Bessarabian Bulgarians in Sofia

published on 10/20/23 2:12 PM

Photo: Executive Agency of Bulgarians Abroad

‎A festive celebration of the Bessarabian Bulgarians will take place on October 21 and 22 in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. The event is part of the program to celebrate the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians - October 29. It is related to the date of the consecration of the church "St. Transfiguration of the Lord", which the Bessarabian Bulgarians in Bolgrad built as a sign of appreciation that after their resettlement in the region of today's Ukraine, they got a chance to live freely and with dignity. One hundred years later, in Bulgaria there is already a large community of Bessarabian Bulgarians actively participating in the development of Bulgaria and from them comes the initiative to have such a day that strengthens the relationship between the Bulgarians in Bulgaria and our compatriots in the Bessarabian region, covering territories from Moldova and Ukraine.

The traditional concert, prepared on this occasion by Rodolyubets Association this year will also take place on October 29, but a week before that the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad is organizing a festival in which the traditions preserved by Bessarabian Bulgarians will be presented.

"It will be interesting, it will be fun, it will be delicious - we are waiting for you!" - says the executive director of the Agency Rayna Mandzhukova in an interview for Radio Bulgaria, adding:

Rayna Mandzhukova with Georgi Barbarov, member of the Bulgarian community in Moldova

‎"Last year, the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad launched this initiative to organize an event that would not only gather like-minded people who know the Bessarabian Bulgarians, but would be more open to people. In 2022, we held this festival on the square for the first time, which we are still organizing now. In addition, there will be a presentation of books, the Almanac of the Rodolyubets Association but the biggest event will be on October 21 and 22 in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, since the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians coincides with the day of the local elections. On top of that, the celebration will be two days long and we will be able to present traditional cuisine, costumes, and a rich concert program - we have planned entertainment for young and old."‎

We will witness a review of folk costumes from different regions in Bulgaria, presented by the Bessarabian Bulgarian Oksana Zhelyapova, holder of the title "Mrs. Bulgaria Universe 2022". We will try Bessarabian wine and various Bulgarian traditional dishes from our communities abroad, we will enjoy a rich musical program", says Rayna Mandzhukova.

According to Mandjukova, despite the war, Bulgarians from Ukraine continue to be so attached to Bulgaria, while at the same time remaining loyal citizens of the state of Ukraine.‎

"But we must not forget that the Bessarabian Bulgarians are not only in Ukraine, but also in Moldova. The idea of this holiday is also in this - the Bessarabian Bulgarians from Ukraine, the Bessarabian Bulgarians from Moldova and the Bulgarians from Bulgaria to gather in one place and spend two days together - to make new friendships, contacts and reminisce what was written as early as 1838 in a single issue of "Bulgarian Bessarabia", that the Bessarabian Bulgarians are flesh of the flesh and blood of the blood of Bulgaria. The thesis launched here: "let's take them home to Bulgaria" is extremely wrong. Bulgarians abroad, and Bessarabian Bulgarians in particular, can and are useful to Bulgaria where they are. They don't necessarily have to come to Bulgaria in order to be part of it, they are part of it as it is," Rayna Mandzhukova, executive director of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, says firmly.

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Photos: Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, private archive

Translated and published by Rositsa Petkova

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