Snezhana Galcheva from Chicago: Bulgaria is genetic code we carry everywhere

Snezhana Galcheva is a journalist, writer and deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper of Bulgarians in Chicago "Bulgaria SEGA". But above all, she is a public figure who has dedicated years to the cause of preserving the Bulgarian spirit far from the homeland. Part of this activity is the organization of the literary competition "Elegant Quill". Its fifth edition attracted authors writing in Bulgarian from 15 countries - Switzerland, the Netherlands, Israel, UK, the USA and Canada, of course Bulgaria, etc. The presentation of the awards to the distinguished artists is one of the reasons for Snezhana Galcheva to be in her native Sofia.

"Indeed, each edition of the competition has a different theme and perhaps the great interest this year is also due to the theme - 'If You have Given' - ​​it is truly very beautiful, very deep, and thought-provoking. An unusually large number of children sent their works, the youngest being seven years old. And here is the place to say that the parents and teachers have the credit for this, for the fact that from a young age these children are brought up in respect for the word, to know and remember historical and cultural traditions and literary heritage, which is very important at an age when their worldview is formed. In our consumer society, this is realized by adolescents - to give not from the surplus, but from what is valuable and essential. This feeling is exceptional and I cannot speak indifferently about it. An exceptionally large number of literary clubs participated in the competition, which is wonderful."

The "Elegant Quill 2026" competition, organized by the Salon of Bulgarian Culture and Spirituality in Chicago and the Confederation of Bulgarian Cultural Organizations and Activists Abroad, has a significant goal - preserving the purity of the Bulgarian language, while the inclusion of many tempted by the word, among whom are many children, is a sign of the living spirit of enlightenment.

For her contribution to Bulgarian culture abroad, Snezhana Galcheva was awarded the prestigious "Ivan Vazov" Award by the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad.

A kind of cry for the fate of humanity and a prayer for Bulgaria is Snezhana Galcheva's seventh book, "Breath Crucified". Its official premiere took place in Sofia on July 9.

The new collection of poems explores the inner torments of the soul and the emotions that lift us up or bring us down. The book begins as a prayer and ends as a dream. It passes through colours, through seasons and eras to reach Bulgaria as it is now. There are many wonderful poems related to the altars of Bulgaria, to our traditions, to the stories of grandmothers.

"These are the roots to which each of us who lives outside Bulgaria returns in a special way — with a lot of nostalgia and joy. And the longer we live outside Bulgaria, the feeling of roots crystallizes in a special way. Of course, my idea, which I wanted to convey in this cycle of poems, is to make people understand that something very strong is hidden in this imprint of time. This is our genetic code, which we carry and from which there is no way to escape. This is the folk song, Bulgarian customs, the power of Bulgarian traditions, the costume and the worship of those eternal altars that every Bulgarian carries in their heart," Snezhana Galcheva says.

In the poems of Snezhana Galcheva, who has lived overseas for over 25 years, her native Sofia is present with its "purple evenings" - magic that she keeps as a personal altar in her mind. Although today's reality is different, she sees in it a new beauty and, most of all, hope. With each return to her homeland, she discovers positive change, driven by the energy of the young generation.

"Every time I return, I see something positive in the people and in our society as a whole. The upbringing of young people, the fact that they strive more and more for knowledge and the fact that they increasingly want to realize themselves in a way in which they show presence and their responsibility. And this is really good, because the future is ahead for these young people and I believe that Bulgaria will have success and prosperity."