site.btaSlavic Studies Faculty Dean: Studying Foreign Literature Can Make Us More Well-Rounded Citizens

Amelia Licheva, Dean of the Faculty of Slavic Studies at Sofia University, stressed the importance of studying foreign literature during the launch of a reading promotion campaign at Bulgarian News Agency's (BTA) MaxiM hall on Monday. The campaign was launched at the initiative of the Faculty and is co-organized by Bulgarian News Agency. "Studying foreign literature can only benefit us and help us become more well-rounded citizens," Licheva said. 

On May 11, the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, students from six Bulgarian cities will read contemporary Bulgarian literature in partnership with regional libraries and schools.

The campaign was launched through a nationwide livestream connecting BTA press clubs in Sofia, Shumen, Varna, Stara Zagora, Dobrich, and Pleven. The event was opened by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev at the agency’s National Press Club in Varna. The readings are being streamed live on BTA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, featuring live broadcasts from the participating cities over the course of an hour.

“Thank you for your hospitality. Thank you for the fact that all of our initiatives - not just this one - always receive the support and partnership of the BTA. That is extremely important to us,” Licheva said. She also extended holiday greetings to librarians, libraries, and the St. Methodius Language High School in Sofia, which is celebrating its patron saint’s day. She thanked the regional libraries that joined the initiative and noted that the campaign has helped the Faculty of Slavic Studies connect with many schools across the country.

Licheva argued that meaningful changes to school curricula require a shift in public opinion. "Without a more motivated and better-informed public, politicians cannot carry out reform. Pretending otherwise serves no purpose. Courage is rarely a defining characteristic of our politicians, and all too often, at the first sign of public resistance, they retreat from pursuing reform altogether," she added.

She said the campaign aims to reach parents and highlight the importance of introducing children to contemporary authors. Referring to a recent petition signed by more than 500 parents calling for the exclusion of foreign literature from the curriculum up to fifth grade, she said the document reflected fears that exposure to contemporary and foreign authors could threaten national identity. "One of our main goals is to gradually show that, in the 21st century, we will neither lose our patriotism nor our national identity by engaging in a more active dialogue with others," Licheva added. 

She also noted that the launch of the initiative coincides with the formation of a new government in Bulgaria. "I do not have high hopes, and I cannot help but say it. It turns out there will be a deputy prime minister who will be responsible for education and culture, and he has already made statements that sound more like ideological propaganda," she added.