Event Highlights: Bulgarian Voices – The Living Memory of Bulgarian Crafts and Traditions
On Thursday, May 23, the Center for the Study of Europe teamed up with the Bulgarian American Cultural Center Madara to present “Bulgarian Voices.” The event, which was dedicated to the Days of Bulgarian Education, Culture, and Slavonic Literature, featured stories from the living memory of Bulgarian crafts and traditions. The star of the evening was a book presentation by journalist Eleonora Gadjeva. Eleonora’s new book is a collection of 25 stories, showcasing the diversity of Bulgarian tradition, the authentic colors of love for the past and its roots. Following Eleonora’s presentation, the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation presented its Storytellers project and its Living Heritage project through a photo gallery and a 30-minute movie highlighting the ongoing work of the foundation. Guests were treated to live performances by the Bulgarian women’s singing group Omaia, accompanied by Zornitsa (Boston-based Balkan men’s vocal ensemble) and directed by the Taniana Sarbinska, and by the Bulgarian folklore singer Elena Mancheva.
The event took place as part of the Bulgarian Folk Festival in the US (May-June, 2013) in support of the Bulgarian foundation “I can too”, supporting children with special needs in Bulgaria. The Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation (WCIF) is a non-profit organization, registered in 2001 in accordance with the Law on Not-For-Profit Legal Entities. WCIF encourages different communities to take responsibility and work actively for social development efficiently, using local resources. [More info]