site.btaBulgarian Antarctic Expedition Head Pimpirev: Antarctica Is Place for Reading

Antarctica is a place for reading, and the Bulgarian base on Livingston Island and the Bulgarian naval research ship Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii are in a way chitalishta community centres, said the head of the Bulgarian Antarctic expeditions, Prof. Christo Pimpirev. He was speaking here on Friday during an online presentation of the January issue of the Bulgarian News Agency's LIK magazine, titled "Chitalishta: Past and Future".

Prof. Pimpirev was in Punta Arenas awaiting a flight to Antarctica as part of the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic expedition.

"I can safely say that we have a very rich library at the Bulgarian base, and at any given moment you can see one of our polar explorers with a book in their hands. There is also a gift from famous Bulgarian Stefan Gruev – first editions of the diaries of Scott and Amundsen. It is a very rich library of polar books," said Prof. Pimpirev.

He added that every foreigner who sees the books at the Bulgarian base and on the ship is surprised at how much Bulgarians read in Antarctica. "Of course, everyone brings books, there are many books as gifts. I personally have given my books as gifts. So the ship is also a place for reading, because, especially when you are at sea for a long time, the only entertainment that gives you great pleasure is a good book," said Prof. Pimpirev.

"So, read. We read in Antarctica, but let's not forget to read in Bulgaria and visit more and more community centres and community libraries," he advised.