A Bulgarian library – the new cultural hub for Bulgarians in Las Vegas

For the past 11 years, Rositsa Petkova and her husband have been living in Las Vegas, part of a Bulgarian community of շուրջ 10,000 people in the world’s entertainment capital. They have three children, two of whom were born overseas, yet this has not prevented them from nurturing their connection to Bulgaria by attending one of the two Sunday schools in the city – the “Rodna Rech” Children’s Academy.

Rositsa works in real estate, while her husband is engaged in home repair and renovation. Until two years ago, in her free time, she took part in a reading club where she and her friends discussed and exchanged books - both by Bulgarian and international authors - depending on the featured writer of the month. Over time, she developed the idea of creating a kind of “home” for the books they read - a place where people could come, pick up something new to read, enjoy a coffee, and connect with one another.

That idea has now taken tangible shape and a name - “AzBuki”. The opening of this literary hub for Bulgarians in the Entertainment Capital of the World is scheduled for May 2. Special guests at the event will be two close friends, separated by the thousands of miles between the United States and Bulgaria – writer Ivo Ivanov and journalist and screenwriter Georgi Toshev.

The Bulgarian library will house books collected and donated by members of the community, and its home will be a Bulgarian restaurant in the city, Rositsa Petkova told Radio Bulgaria:

“The owners are wonderful hosts, always open to Bulgarian cultural and community activities. Elections have been held in their venue, we’ve organized children’s parties, and once a month a Bulgarian couple hosts a painting class. There are many Bulgarians who do not interact much with fellow compatriots in Vegas, but we hope more and more people will come to our events, because all these activities show that, in some way, we miss Bulgaria. Even though we live here, we haven’t lost our love for Bulgarian cinema, theatre, or the desire to engage with public figures from back home. We are Bulgarians, and we have many ideas we can realize together. Everything is done with heart, love, and dedication to the people here.”

She also notes that an increasing number of Bulgarian cultural events are being organized in Las Vegas:

“There are quite a few visiting theatre productions, and Bulgarian singers frequently perform concerts here. A young Bulgarian has created a podcast sharing the stories of Bulgarians in the U.S. (‘America in Bulgarian’). I have also started an initiative to screen new Bulgarian films, since not everyone travels back home often enough to see them. I can say that Vegas is not only the Entertainment Capital - it has also become a small cultural hub for people who crave good books and theatre.”

The hope is that the Bulgarian library will attract not only members of the Bulgarian community but also their American friends - anyone interested in learning more about Bulgaria and exploring works by Bulgarian authors, including those available in English translation.

Read also:

Las Vegas bustling with preparations for Bulgarian festival

Mayor of Las Vegas honors celebrations of Bulgarians in Nevada for Day of Bulgarian Culture

Edited by E. Karkalanova