Education is the key to Bulgaria’s unresolved problems, problems we have been trying to address for over three decades, it enlightens the soul and has the capacity of laying the foundations of a successful society – a role in which the teachers are at the forefront; it is to them that the country ought to accord priority. With these words the Director General of the Bulgarian National Radio Milen Mitev addressed dozens of representatives of Bulgarian educational centres abroad at the opening of the 18^th annual meeting of the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad (ABSA).

“The Bulgarian schools abroad perform one more role of exceptional importance – to preserve the Bulgarian language and culture,” Milen Mitev said and added that statistics show there is “one whole Bulgaria outside Bulgaria” and that it is precisely the schools, as well as the Bulgarian folklore ensembles abroad that form the “gold thread” that connects our compatriots beyond the country’s borders.

• Bulgarian schools abroad are united by a shared mission to preserve national identity

“You keep their Bulgarian self-awareness alive, and, in our capacity of public service media outlet, it is our duty to stand by you. To help your voice be heard, to talk about your successes and your achievements, to lend voice to your concerns,” Milen Mitev said.

“It is a wonderful thing that the two associations – the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad and the Association of Bulgarian Folklore Ensembles Abroad – are holding their meetings in Veliko Tarnovo at the same time because these are two truly incredible networks of the Bulgarian spirit – of Bulgarian history and culture, of what connects all Bulgarians around the world with their country,” Milen Mitev said further in an interview with Radio Bulgaria. “The two organizations have a lot of members – the schools and folklore ensembles around the world are more than 400 in number. At the same time these are the people who, with their enthusiasm, their big heart and soul are managing to keep one whole organization going. In most cases the conditions they work in are not easy and the financing is not enough but that cannot stop them. I do believe they are an excellent example for us all of how one can put one’s best efforts into preserving the Bulgarian self-awareness and the Bulgarian spirit.”

Radio Bulgaria is media partner of the event, thus helping the Bulgarian National Radio perform its public mission and support Bulgarians wherever they may be, Milen Mitev says and adds:

“It is in this that Radio Bulgaria plays an important role, because on the one hand it gives coverage to the life, successes and problems of all Bulgarians around the world, and on the other – it presents Bulgaria to the world in 10 foreign languages. Radio Bulgaria is the natural partner of organizations such as the organization of Bulgarian schools and of Bulgarian folklore ensembles. Because we are the people who should lend them our voice and who should help their achievements, the challenges they face reach and be heard by more people.”

One of the things the recent meeting Milen Mitev held with the ambassador of Moldova to this country focused on was how to provide information in the Bulgarian language to our compatriots in Moldova:

“With H.E. Emil Jacota we talked about how the Bulgarian community in Moldova needs more content, including media content in the Bulgarian language. I am delighted that the Moldovan side has this understanding and I hope that in the nearest future the Bulgarian National Radio will be able to present more of its media content – created by our national and regional channels as well as by Radio Bulgaria – so that the Bulgarians living in Moldova may have access to it.”

Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photos: Krasimir Martinov, Facebook / Ambasada Republicii Moldova in Bulgaria