Round Table in London on the Subject of: Bulgaria and Europe. Shifting Identities.
On 2 February 2011, the School of Slavonic and East European Studies with the University College – London hosted a Round Table on the occasion of the publicising of the book “Bulgaria and Europe. Shifting Identities”. The event was carried out jointly with the Embassy of Republic of Bulgaria to London, the Centre for Slavonic and East European Studies with the University College – London and the Centre for the Study of the Balkans with Goldsmiths College.
The round Table was opened by Prof. Robin Aizelwood, Director of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies. Dr. Stefanos Katsikas – compiler and editor of the book, introduced the idea of putting into one collection the works of various leading scientists in the field, able to give wider and deeper view on the interrelations between Bulgaria and Europe. The book is a result of the conference “To Be European: Bulgaria and Europe – Past, Present and Future”, organised by the School of Slavonic and East European Studies with the University College – London.
In the discussion participated Prof. Galin Tihanov, Dr. Evgeniya Markova and Dr. Veselin Dimitrov, whose presentations were an attempt to put into wider context the cultural, social, historical and political aspect of the relations development between Bulgaria and Europe. The leading speaker at the Round Table was Assoc. Prof. Ognyan Kovachev – lecturer in Bulgarian language, literature, history and culture at the University College – London.
At the closing of the Round Table, the Ambassador Lyubomir Kyuchukov described the European integration as a process that did not start and finish with the act of approval of the country as a full member to the European Union. He emphasised further the significance of the EU expansion for the integration on the continent and for widening the area of peace, stability and prosperity in Europe.
The attending guests, among them prominent representatives of the academic and cultural circles in Great Britain, diplomats and representatives of the Bulgarian community, participated with great interest and attention in the organised discussion.