site.btaPresident Iotova Organizes Third International Cyrillic Forum on March 25-26

President Iliana Iotova is organizing the Third International Cyrillic Forum, titled "Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age", on March 25 and 26, the President's press secretariat said.

The first part of the forum will be held at the National Palace of Culture (NDK) on March 25. Iotova will address the participants at the opening. On March 26, their academic programme will continue at the Rila Monastery. This year's conference focuses on a commemorative anniversary of St John of Rila (876-946), marking 1,080 years since his passing. The event will be attended by President Iotova and the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil.

The forum "Spiritual Heritage in the Digital Age" will be held under the auspices of the National Commission of Bulgaria for UNESCO, with the assistance of the Ministry of Education and Science and the support of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

This year's forum will bring together scholars from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Bulgarian universities, alongside prominent speakers from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Kazakhstan and China. Presentations will cover topics such as the alphabet wars in the Slavic world, the language of the media, and the digitization of early printed editions (incunabula) in the 21st century. Two alumni of the National High School for Ancient Languages and Cultures will present their views on the Cyrillic and artificial intelligence. The Third International Cyrillic Forum expands the geographical scope of discussions with research on the Cyrillic in China and the contemporary Cyrillic script among Turkic-speaking peoples.

The forum will also feature accompanying exhibitions, including an original screen presentation on spiritual heritage in the Homeland of the Cyrillic and a photo collection showcasing the National Palace of Culture, which celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, on the world stage.

As Vice President (January 2017 - January 2026), Iliana Iotova organized two international Cyrillic conferences. The first International Forum, "…And We Have Given Something to the World", held in 2022, brought together leading scholars from 12 countries, focusing on Bulgaria's contribution to the creation and dissemination of the Cyrillic alphabet and its mission to connect East and West.

The second International Cyrillic Forum, held in 2024 under the title “Alphabet. Language. Identity", focused on the importance of the Slavic heritage, its preservation and dissemination in the modern world, as well as Bulgaria's key role in establishing the third Christian civilization, the Slavic one. The forum, held in Sofia and Plovdiv, hosted more than 30 renowned Slavic scholars from 11 countries and Bulgaria, the press release said.