Bulgarian-language library opens in Las Vegas

A new space dedicated to Bulgarian language and culture has opened in Las Vegas — and those behind it say it’s much more than just a library.

Called “AzBuki”, it opened on 2 May as a place for the local community to stay connected to their language and roots. Journalist Georgi Toshev, who attended as a guest, shared the news on Facebook. Georgi Toshev and writer Ivo Ivanov were the first invited authors to meet readers in the city.

“The library is housed inside a Bulgarian restaurant owned by Rumen Stefanov, a prominent member of the Bulgarian community in Las Vegas,” said Maria Samichkova, a contributor to Radio Bulgaria. “He is a true patriot, someone who really cares about Bulgarian identity and keeping our culture and traditions alive,” she said of Mr Stefanov. “The idea came from Rositsa Petkova, who also founded the Bulgarian Book Club here and organises Bulgarian film evenings. We had guests from different states — it felt like a real celebration of books.”

She said the date had been chosen deliberately.

“It’s no coincidence we opened on 2 May — the day the Orthodox Church honours Tsar Boris-Michael, who introduced Christianity and played a key role in the development of Slavic writing in Bulgaria. And May is also when we celebrate one of our most important holidays, 24 May — dedicated to education, culture and the alphabet. So it’s a special month for us. It means a lot to see Bulgarians in Las Vegas, thousands of kilometres from home, still holding on to the language and culture.

There were lots of families at the opening, including many children. People brought books and dictionaries in Bulgarian, and we hope the collection will continue to grow.”

In a separate Facebook post, Elka Rouskov said the date had taken on special meaning for the community.

“If there is one date that symbolises our unity in Las Vegas, it is 2 May. On this day, we brought together the legacy of Tsar Boris-Michael, patron of literacy, and the spirit of the April Uprising to begin a new chapter of our own,” she wrote.

Ms Rouskov, together with Ms Petkova and Adelina Petrova from the Bulgarian Women’s Business Club, marked the opening by cutting the ribbon at the new cultural space — the “AzBuki” library.

Editor: Elena Karkalanova