'Meeting on Home Soil': Bulgarian organisation from Vienna to visit Burgas

The Bulgarian Cultural and Educational Organisation Sts Cyril and Methodius from Vienna will visit the House of Writers in Burgas on 5 August. The event, entitled "Meeting on Home Soil", is an initiative of the Bulgarian community in the Austrian capital that has, for more than a decade, brought together members of the organisation's creative groups with fellow artists and audiences in Bulgaria.

The programme includes literary readings, an excerpt from Mark Pavlin's play Not a Time for Love, a concert by opera performers from Vienna and Brussels, and, on the following day, a musical excursion to St Anastasia Island.

The organisation, which celebrated its 80th anniversary last year, is a remarkable example of continuity and community spirit. Today, it comprises 16 creative groups, including a theatre studio, a literary circle, folk ensembles and sports clubs, making it a vibrant centre for the Bulgarian community in Vienna. Its best-known initiatives include the annual Hristo Botev Days in Gols, the traditional Bulgarian horo marking 24 May, and the "Meeting on Home Soil" gatherings held in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and, for the past three years, Burgas.

"The key to the organisation's longevity is communication and coordination among its various creative groups," opera singer Hristina Lazarova-Milev, a member of the organisation's leadership team, told Radio Bulgaria.

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Rami Spasov, co-leader of the literary circle and a member of the organisation's management board, says members' desire to connect with other Bulgarians abroad, their longing for their homeland, and the initiative of compatriots who find support for their ideas within the organisation have also played a role. Although the profile of the Bulgarian diaspora has changed over the years, the need to connect has only grown stronger.

"Our mission as a cultural organisation is to bring people together and preserve Bulgarian roots, the Bulgarian spirit and our traditional values. Bringing people together and communicating in our native language is, I dare say, what Bulgarians abroad need most."

Together with Rami Spasov, she recently presented the organisation's history, decision-making process and way of operating at a meeting of Bulgarian organisations held in Vienna in early June at the initiative of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad. It also became clear that the organisation is attracting many young people, and Rami Spasov explains why:

"On the one hand, the number of Bulgarians has increased. Many people have settled here, often in mixed marriages, and they want to preserve the part of themselves that was shaped in Bulgaria – a part their children may never experience. That is one of the reasons they are interested in joining our clubs. The growing number of students has also played a role, as have easier travel and the opportunity for people who have completed their bachelor's degree to pursue a master's degree here. All these factors have contributed to a significant increase in the number of students and school-age children."

For Hristina Milev, the organisation's greatest strength is that every new idea finds support and like-minded people.

"The process is very dynamic, but when there is enthusiasm and the initiative Rami spoke about, things happen very easily and, I would even say, quickly. It has become a tradition for us to organise numerous events throughout the season, from September to June, as well as the 'Meeting on Home Soil' in the summer. We communicate well and complement one another. One of the events best known to Austrians and the people of Vienna is the large horo we organise every year to mark 24 May. These events are not only accessible, but also attract the interest of the Austrian public. Our organisation is primarily focused on Bulgarians – creating cultural events for Bulgarians, by Bulgarians and in the Bulgarian language. At the same time, we work closely with the Bulgarian Cultural Institute House Wittgenstein, whose main mission is to promote Bulgarian culture among Austrians. In this way, we complement one another and each benefit from the other's work."

Editor: Desislava Semkovska