site.btaPeroto Literary Club Marks 10th Anniversary

The Peroto Literary Club in Sofia celebrated its 10th anniversary on Tuesday.

“Peroto has become the literary heart of Sofia,” said Svetlozar Zhelev, Director of the National Book Center. He recalled that the first event held at the club ten years ago was a 24-hour reading marathon.

“Literature is the soul of a nation,” stated Andriana Petkova, Director of the National Palace of Culture (NDK). She added that Peroto is not just a venue for events, but an event in itself.

Culture Minister Marian Bachev greeted the club on its anniversary, describing Peroto as a unique space that has served as a hub for vibrant literary dialogue for a whole decade.

Among the guests at the event were writer Georgi Gospodinov, Professor Amelia Licheva, Dean of the Faculty of Slavic Philology at Sofia University, and BTA’s Director General Kiril Valchev. He presented the Peroto team with the first BTA news story reporting on the club’s opening ten years ago, framed as a commemorative gift.

Other attendees included Sofia Shtereva, Executive Director of the National Culture Fund, Todora Radeva, Director of the Read Sofia Foundation, Violeta Radkova, Director of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation, Yulia Rafailovich, Director of the Next Page Foundation; and Gergana Pancheva, Director of the Sofia literary agency.

Located at the National Palace of Culture, the Peroto Literary Club brings together creators, promoters, and admirers of Bulgarian and international literature. Its mission is to serve as the literary heart of Sofia. Since its founding ten years ago, nearly 2,000 events have been held at the club, featuring both global and Bulgarian authors, the organizers noted.