site.btaPalace Cultural Institute in Balchik to Host Days of Turkish Culture

The Palace State Cultural Institute in Balchik will host Days of Turkish Culture under the motto “Destination: Turkiye” on November 22 and 23, the organizers said. The event is held with the participation of cultural institutions from across the country and with the support of partners of the initiative.

Among the first participants is the Mevlana – 2012 Community Center, the successor of one of the oldest community centres in the region, established at the beginning of the 20th century and previously known as “Teriaki” and “Nazım Hikmet.” The centre preserves the traditions of the Bulgarian, Turkish, and Tatar communities who share a common history, livelihood, and cultural memory.

Thanks to volunteers and donors, the community centre maintains a library of over 4,500 books, and its greatest pride is an ethnographic exhibition, which showcases traditional costumes and household items of the three ethnic groups. During the event, guests will enjoy songs, poems, proverbs, and dances performed in both Bulgarian and Turkish.

Joining the participants will also be the Neofit Rilski – 1942 community centre from the village of Chernolik, Silistra Region, which will present a fashion show of traditional costumes, the henna ceremony custom, and a Turkish folk dance.

The community centre is an active partner in numerous national and international initiatives. At the invitation of the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, it took part in an European project on the history of Islam under the European Commission’s Culture Programme.

At the invitation of the Turkish National Television TRT, the ensemble participated in an International Children’s Day Festival, while in Bulgaria, the community centre is a regular participant in the National Festival of Turkish Folklore. It also collaborates with the BIZ Association and the Department of Turkish Language and Literature at the Shumen University.

The Days of Turkish Culture are part of a broader program, “Balchik – Stage of World Cultures,” offering an authentic look into Turkish customs, language, art, and spirituality. In October, the programme paid tribute to Spanish culture.