site.btaAcademy of Sciences Journal Commemorates April Uprising 150th Anniversary

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) Corresponding Member Ivan Granitski on Monday presented a special edition of the Journal of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the April 1876 Uprising of the Bulgarians against Ottoman rule. This coincided with the launch of the new thematic issue of BTA's LIK magazine, also devoted to the anniversary of the April Uprising. The launch of the two publications was held at the St Cyril and St Methodius School in Koprivshtitsa on the day of "the first shot" fired during the 1876 insurrection.

Granitski said: "This is not just an ordinary anniversary but an extremely important date, perhaps a dividing line for Europe, for Bulgaria and for the world, which should make us recall the imperatives of historical memory. The BAS Journal has prepared a special issue containing new research or renewed reflections on this important event – the April Uprising – and on its heroes, and above all on Levski."

He highlighted several of the articles and studies that readers will find in the BAS Journal. One of the articles is by Academician Konstantin Kosev, which discusses the full significance of the timeless legacy of revolutionary leader Vasil Levski.

Another article emphasized by Granitski is by Academician Ivan Ilchev, in which he directs the reader's attention to the Balkan and broader European context at the time of the April Uprising. "We often reflect only on the internal dimensions of the uprising, whereas Ilchev reminds us that we must also consider the context in Europe," said Granitski.

BTA's LIK magazine presents the uprising through the national news agency's archive, with information on its commemorations over the years preserved in news bulletins and dispatches. The issue also includes opinions and commentaries from scholars, public figures and representatives of local communities in the towns that were centres of the revolutionary districts linked to the history of the uprising.

Koprivshtitsa Municipality was a partner in the launch along with BTA and BAS.

LIK's new issue presents key discussions organized by BTA in major cities linked to the uprising, featuring journalists, scholars, local officials, and public figures. The talks are part of a broader initiative by BTA, BNT, and BNR to commemorate important anniversaries in Bulgarian history leading up to 2032, marking 1400 years since the founding of early Bulgarian statehood. The initiative has been supported by BAN and prominent historians.