One month after the dramatic events in Bat Yam, where thirteen Bulgarian artists were forced to take shelter in a bomb bunker during Iran’s missile attack on Israel, the organisers and participants of the international festival Bulgarian Soul in the Holy Land reunited in Sofia. They gathered at a forum titled Creative Terminal Bulgaria–Israel to reflect on what they had experienced and to honour the winners of competitions in poetry and prose, folk dance, instrumental performance, Bulgarian-language songs, traditional folk, and patriotic music.

Vesela Raytchinova, the heart behind the festival—which marked its 10th edition this June—described its greatest success as “bringing together Bulgarians at home and abroad.”

“Integration was the founding idea when I launched this project,” she told Radio Bulgaria.

For Raytchinova, the essence of being Bulgarian lies in preserving one’s roots, traditions, and customs, as well as remembering Bulgaria’s contribution to the world through history.

“And unity in the name of peace,” she adds. “Let our little Bulgaria stay peaceful, calm, humane and kind—full of love and gentleness. Just as I remember it from 30 years ago, and just as I’ve always carried it with me. Many Bulgarians living abroad feel the same. They may have moved away, but they’ve never turned their backs on their homeland. And because anyone can be changed by political or economic pressures, my team and I hope our compatriots will hold on to who they truly are.”

Yet, in today’s deeply polarised world, few topics unite Bulgarians anymore. The disagreements run so deep they now touch not only on our worldview, but on our moral compass. Can anything still bring us together?

“Support is always needed,” Raytchinova replies. “Financial support, certainly—people need to feel secure. Politically, it’s the same everywhere. The powerful bend the weaker ones to their will. The small countries get stuck in a vicious circle—it’s exhausting. That’s when art steps in. It brings music, words and images that soften the eyes and soothe the spirit. The real question is whether politicians will find the way forward. Maybe only artists can help—through the quiet rebellions they carry inside or manage to express outwardly. Every time I come back to Bulgaria, I see what’s happening. And I feel the urge to do something, however small, that brings people joy.”

There were many joyful faces at the forum held at the Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Sofia—including that of young Sonya Terziyska, who received the Super Grand Prix for her powerful recitation of Do You Give, Balkandzhi Yovo. This year’s Bulgarian Soul in the Holy Land brought together participants from over ten countries, with the largest group coming from Bulgaria. Their concerns and hopes were reflected clearly in their work.

“Bulgarians, whether at home or abroad, are moved by life—by peace and freedom, by the chance to express themselves and to connect with others. Through these encounters, we rediscover ourselves. And we share Bulgarian culture, history, and tradition with anyone willing to listen,” Raytchinova says.

“Bulgaria is admired almost everywhere. Whenever someone asks where I’m from and I say, ‘Bulgaria, though I live in Israel’, I always hear: ‘Beautiful country, rich culture, wonderful people!’ And I so want the people of Bulgaria to be happy—to be kinder, and to love one another more.”

• Vesela Raytchinova: We Bulgarians enjoy a very good name in Israel

That shared love shines brightest through art. Raytchinova hinted that a major concert may be organised as early as this autumn.
“The performers will be young talents, joined on stage by the professionals who once judged them in competition,” she said, offering a glimpse of what’s to come.