Participation of the State Institute for Culture in the National Expert Forum
On May 31, 2023, the National Expert Forum organized by the Diplomatic Institute on the issues of combating anti-Semitism and preserving Jewish heritage was held in the capital. The event was organized within the framework of the project "Strategic cooperation between Bulgaria and Norway in support of Bulgaria's international commitment on Combating Anti-Semitism and Preservation of Jewish Heritage”, implemented by the MFA, the Diplomatic Institute, the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies and funded by the Bilateral Fund of the EEA Financial Mechanism and Norwegian Financial mechanism in Bulgaria. The purpose of the event is the exchange of good practices and providing a platform for discussion regarding the results achieved in line with the project activities. The progress in the preparation of the National Action Plan to combat anti-Semitism of the Republic of Bulgaria, the implemented and upcoming initiatives was reported in the context of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews this year, both in the country and in the Bulgarian representations abroad around the world. A lively discussion was also caused by the possibilities of reaction to provocative manifestations that bear the marks of xenophobia and anti-Semitism.
In the panel dedicated to initiatives for the promotion of the Jewish cultural and historical heritage in Bulgaria in the field of education and youth participation, the media, the preservation and modernization of Jewish historical monuments, the State Institute for Culture presented the activities carried out so far under the project. The emphasis in them is to test communication models that would attract the attention of young generations to the significant civic capital that represents the history of the coexistence of communities in Bulgaria, the interaction of cultural identities, moral and political values. They are at the core the energy that led to the collective action that led to the reversal of deportation plans and the saving of thousands of lives in the years of the Holocaust. The creative projects were presented - exhibitions, creative workshops, creating a poster collection and discussion sections in cultural forums, organized with the vision that culture and creative projects in the most direct way can reach the consciousness of the younger audience and will be a barrier to the pressure of provocative and anti-Semitic messages.
Experts from the governmental, non-governmental and academic sectors from Sofia, Burgas, Kyustendil and Samokov, Bulgarian diplomats, as well as representatives of a number of Jewish organizations in Bulgaria took part as speakers in the forum.