Bulgaria’s alphabet and spirit celebrated at the European Commission

On the eve of 24 May — the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education, Culture and Slavic Literature — Bulgaria's history, language and cultural heritage were celebrated at the European Commission in Brussels.

Students from the Bulgarian section of the European School Brussels IV performed a vibrant programme of songs and poetry in celebration of what Bulgarians often refer to as their most cherished national holiday. The audience was international and, as is traditional, the celebration opened with "Varvi, narode vazrodeni" ("March On, O Revived People"), the anthem of Bulgarian education and culture.

The children taking part in the event were excited and proud to represent Bulgaria and its cultural heritage in what many described as "the heart of Europe".

“For me, 24 May is a very special holiday because it marks the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet by Saints Cyril and Methodius. I’m very happy to be here at the European Commission celebrating with so many people,” said Niya Lesinska. “There are many foreigners here, which makes it even more exciting because we can show them how important this day is for us.”

“I’m very proud to call myself Bulgarian. The alphabet is part of our identity,’ said student Maria Tomova. ‘It’s important to share that sense of pride with people here, including those who are not Bulgarian. We are one of the EU countries with our own alphabet.”

“I have the privilege of studying many subjects in Bulgarian, which helps me preserve the richness of the language,” added Kaloyan Kuzmanov. “For me, May 24 is an incredible holiday — the most Bulgarian of all holidays. We celebrate the work of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Cyrillic has been one of the three official alphabets of the European Union, alongside the Latin and Greek alphabets, since 2007, and that is a great honour for us.”

“May 24 is a great day for us Bulgarians because we celebrate our alphabet, education and culture. I’m truly proud to be Bulgarian,” said student Damyan Petrov.

The celebration was emotional not only for the students, but also for their teachers, who work every day to help children growing up far from Bulgaria remain connected to their mother tongue in a multilingual environment.

Among them was Galina Dimitrova, a long-time teacher of Bulgarian language and literature at the school.

“It feels especially meaningful when you celebrate this holiday abroad, far from home,” she said. “Then you feel even more strongly that it connects us to our roots and spiritual heritage.” Dimitrova explained that the European School in Brussels brings together students from more than a dozen language communities, including Bulgarian. This year’s programme featured poems by Ivan Vazov, Ran Bosilek and Dora Gabe, alongside workshops where children wrote their names in Glagolitic script and explored the history of alphabets through games and quizzes.

“Today the children even brought to life the ninth-century ‘Alphabet Prayer’ by Konstantin of Preslav,” Dimitrova said. “It gives you goosebumps to hear words written 12 centuries ago come alive so far from Bulgaria, still carrying the same spiritual power today.”

The event was hosted by Bulgarian European Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, who thanked the children, teachers and parents for what she described as “a wonderful celebration.”

“I truly believe that language is what has preserved us through the centuries — as a culture, as a nation and as a people,” Zaharieva said. “In an age of technology, when children spend so much time with electronic devices, I hope we continue to speak and preserve Bulgarian wherever we are in the world. Our language not only sets us apart — it also brings us together. We can achieve anything when we believe in ourselves and stand united.”

Editor: Desislava Semkovska