Meeting-discussion “Slovenian Culture Through My Eyes: A Personal View of Cultural Diplomacy” at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
On April 8, 2025, a public meeting-discussion on the topic “Slavic Culture Through My Eyes: A Personal View of Cultural Diplomacy” was held in the “Ivan Geshov” Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The event was part of the series dedicated to cultural diplomacy in the Balkans, organized by the Institute of Balkan Studies with the Center for Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBCT-BAS) in partnership with the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs (SIC). The initiative is part of the project “Cultural Diplomacy in the Balkans in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Achievements, Problems, Challenges for the Future”, funded by the Scientific Research Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science.
The event was opened by Senior Asst. Prof. Dr. Alexandra Milanova, Scientific Coordinator of the IBCTS-BAS. In her welcome address, Ms. Snezana Joveva-Dimitrova, Director of the State Institute for Culture, emphasized the importance of cultural cooperation between Bulgaria and Slovenia and welcomed the participants in the event. She expressed her satisfaction with the fruitful partnership between the State Institute for Culture and the Embassy of Slovenia in Sofia, noting the successful Bulgarian-Slovenian exhibition “Bridges”, organized in 2022 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
With a special presentation in the event took part H.E. Natasa Bergel, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Bulgaria, who presented the importance of the Slovenian language and literature for the country’s foreign policy. She shared her experience of the cultural initiatives implemented in Bulgaria during her mandate, and emphasized the importance of the selection of Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and Gorizia (Italy) as European Capital of Culture in 2025.
Ambassador Bergel's presentation sparked a lively discussion, in which media representatives, scholars, professors, doctoral candidates and students actively participated. The meeting was a significant event for strengthening cultural ties between Bulgaria and Slovenia and for promoting cultural diplomacy in the region.
Several more meetings with ambassadors are expected within this series, which will continue to emphasize the importance of cultural diplomacy and cooperation between the countries of the Balkan region.