Bulgarian Culture Minister Welcomes New LIK Issue

BTA special correspondent Vanya Suharova

Bulgarian Culture Minister Marian Bachev attending the launch of a new issue of BTA's LIK magazine dedicated to Bulgaria in UNESCO, Paris, July 7, 2025 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Paris,

07.07.2025 20:08

(BTA)

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Addressing the launch of a new LIK issue celebrating Bulgaria in UNESCO, Bulgarian Culture Minister Marian Bachev said it is "a great honor and responsibility" for him, as Minister of Culture of Bulgaria, to welcome the new LIK at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. "This is the place where cultural diversity meets the aspiration for peace and sustainable development through education, science, and culture," he said.

He pointed out that the choice of this theme is directly linked to Bulgaria’s Presidency of the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee – "a significant event that highlights Bulgaria’s active role in global cultural dialogue and our consistent efforts to preserve both the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity".

"LIK magazine is published simultaneously in Bulgarian, English, and French – and thus becomes both a symbolic and substantive face of Bulgaria before the world. Its pages present not only the ten Bulgarian sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, but also our traditions, festivals, customs, and values, which UNESCO also recognizes and preserves through its programmes on intangible cultural heritage," said the Minister.

Bachev went on to thank the BTA team and the magazine’s editors for their "mission-driven work in reviving an important publication that now speaks to the world in three languages". "It is both symbolic and meaningful that the magazine is printed in the LIK typeface, specially created in honor of the Cyrillic alphabet – Bulgaria’s own script, recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This typeface is not merely a design choice – it is a cultural marker, reminding us that Bulgaria has given the world one of the three official alphabets of the European Union. Cyrillic is more than a writing system – it is a living connection across generations, traditions, and cultures."

The Minister underscored that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and UNESCO – "institutions that place culture at the heart of global development. In this context, Bulgaria’s participation with this special issue is not only an act of cultural diplomacy but also an expression of our firm belief that the preservation of heritage is a foundation for the future – for a more peaceful, more connected, and more meaningful world".

He expressed gratitude to UNESCO for welcoming the presentation of LIK magazine, and to the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Paris for its support, cooperation, and commitment to the Bulgarian cultural mission. "A special thank-you to the team of the Bulgarian News Agency – for their dedication, consistency, and professionalism – as well as to all authors, editors, translators, and supporters who contributed to this edition and to today’s event. Thanks to you, Bulgaria speaks to the world clearly, confidently, and with cultural depth," he added.

The 47th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, runs until July 16 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris under the presidency of Bulgaria. As part of the session, Bulgaria will present elements of its cultural and natural heritage. Later Monday, the July issue of LIK magazine – dedicated to Bulgaria and UNESCO – will also be officially presented at UNESCO.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded on November 16, 1945. Bulgaria became a member on May 17, 1956, the same year its National Commission for UNESCO was established. The Commission coordinates activities between Bulgarian institutions and UNESCO.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is one of the two governing bodies responsible for implementing the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It is composed of representatives from 21 countries elected from among the 196 States Parties to the Convention.

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