site.btaBulgarian Culture Week Opens in Odesa

Bulgarian Culture Week began in Odesa on Tuesday. The opening event was an exhibition by Ivan and Zlata Shyshman, a father-daughter duo and contemporary Bulgarian artists in Ukraine. The exhibition marks the start of a rich week-long programme, which includes musical events, literary meetings, and a major celebratory concert featuring Bulgarian folk singer and composer Iliya Lukov.

The Bulgarian-Ukrainian international cultural event was opened by Odesa acting Mayor Ihor Koval, who congratulated the Bulgarian people on the upcoming holidays and thanked them for supporting Odesa during the full-scale invasion, expressing hope for further strengthening of Bulgarian-Ukrainian ties.

“Odesa remains a centre of cultural diplomacy between Ukraine and Bulgaria. Art festivals, academic conferences, and cultural exchanges demonstrate the dynamism and depth of our neighbourly relations,” Koval noted.

“The cultural ties between Odesa and Bulgaria have deep historical roots. It was in Odesa that Bulgarian educational organisations operated, publications were issued, and an intellectual environment was formed that helped preserve the identity of the Bulgarian community and develop intercultural dialogue. Today, the Bulgarian community in Odesa actively maintains its language, traditions, and participates in the city’s public life,” Koval added.

“I am extremely pleased that today we are opening the first event of Bulgarian Culture Week with the exhibition of Ivan and Zlata Shyshman at the City Hall. I would like to thank Koval and the entire team working in the field of culture and the arts that, despite the war, this event is taking place,” said Bulgarian Consul General in Odesa Svetoslav Ivanov in his address.

“Bulgaria condemns this aggression and supports Ukraine in its Euro-Atlantic orientation within its internationally recognized borders. Bulgaria provides not only political, humanitarian, and financial assistance but also helps strengthen Ukraine’s mobilization capabilities,” Ivanov emphasized.

“Despite the war and hardships, we continue to work and hope that this war will end soon. Bulgaria wishes you a swift return of peace and prosperity,” the diplomat added.

Ivanov said Bulgarian Culture Week includes events and meetings dedicated to prominent Bulgarian Revival figures and writers Hristo Botev and Ivan Vazov, whose lives were linked to Odesa, as well as festive concerts by Iliya Lukov in Bolhrad, Vaysal, and Odesa.

He emphasized that the event coincides with the Day of Bessarabian Bulgarians, who serve as a bridge and guarantee for the excellent relations between Bulgaria and Ukraine.

“At the very opening of the exhibition, I felt in the spirit of the people - as was shared in conversations - that our Consulate works very actively and seriously. Before the war, things were different. For me, it is a great honour - we work in a reduced capacity but actively, trying to remain close to the people. The war continues, we live in difficult times, but our motto is that we are stronger when united,” Ivanov summarized.

In a gesture of gratitude for the support of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, a congratulatory address was presented by him.

Greetings to the organizers and guests of the cultural event were also delivered by Anton Kisse, MP in Ukraine and President of the Association of Bulgarians in Ukraine, who highlighted the significant contributions of Ivan Shyshman in promoting Bulgarian art culture in Ukraine. “We have organized many exhibitions, both here in our country and in Bulgaria and Moldova. We will continue to work in this direction,” Kisse stated.

The event featured representatives of Bulgarian cultural and educational organizations from Odesa and the region.

Bulgarian Culture Week in Odesa, dedicated to the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians, began on October 27 and will continue until November 1 in Odesa and the surrounding region. Organizers of the multicultural international event include the Department for International Cooperation, Culture, and Marketing of the Odesa City Council, the Bulgarian Consulate-General in Odesa, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), and the Odesa City Musical Theatre.