Ambassadress of the Republic of Bulgaria to Vietnam speaks at the event. Photo: Bulgarian embassy

In celebration of Bulgarian Education, Culture and Slavonic Literature Day (May 24), the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and the Vietnam – Bulgaria Friendship Association in collaboration with the Embassy of Bulgaria in Vietnam gathered on May 22 to celebrate the most beautiful Bulgarian national holiday.

May 24 is the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture, as well as the day celebrating the “creation” or sazdavane of the so-called glagolitsa, which is a type of writing system that was actually the first Slavic alphabet. It was created by the brothers Cyril and Methodius, also known as the Brothers from Thessaloniki or Solun. They used the Glagolitic alphabet to write the translations of the Bible, and in this way helped to preserve the “cultural heritage” or kulturnoto nasledstvo for the future Slavic peoples.

The Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature was first celebrated during the period of the Bulgarian Revival as a day for paying “tribute,” or pochitam, to the work of the brothers Cyril and Methodius. It became one of the ways for the Bulgarian people to show their recognition and admiration for “education,” or obrazovanie, “science,” or in Bulgarian nauka, and culture. In 1990, it became a public holiday in the Republic of Bulgaria.

Attending the event in Hanoi were former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung; former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan; Ambassador of Bulgaria in Vietnam Marinela Petkova; VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga; President of the Vietnam-Bulgarian Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong and many leaders and members of the friendship association, along with the Bulgarian community in Vietnam.

President of the Vietnam-Bulgarian Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong. Photo: VNT

Speaking at the event, President of the Vietnam-Bulgarian Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong congratulated the Bulgarian people on the occasion that honours the Kyril and Mephodi brothers who invented the first Slavonic letters, adding that the birth of Slavonic alphabet has promoted cultural development in Eastern Europe, contributing to the civilisation of Europe.

She underlined the sound development of Vietnam – Bulgaria traditional friendship and cooperation across the fields, noting that Bulgaria was one of the first ten countries in the world officially establishing diplomatic relations with Vietnam.

In the past time, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and a number of international issues emerging, the traditional friendship relationship between Vietnam and Bulgaria has been maintained and developed.

As a social organization, the Vietnam-Bulgarian Friendship Association has made great efforts in consolidating and developing the friendship between the two peoples with many activities contributing to people's diplomacy.

Huong emphasized that the association will continue to unite and mobilize resources to carry out people-to-people diplomacy activities, making substantive contributions to the two countries' diplomatic relations. Along with that, contributing to the socio-economic development of each country, taking advantage of mutual support in the international arena.

For her part, Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam Marinela Petkova said the day is a great festival of Bulgaria, marking its cultural development by preserving cultural and historic events via its alphabet.

The Bulgarian Ambassador said the annual event contributes to friendship and cooperation between the people of Vietnam and Bulgaria.

The Vietnam-Bulgarian Friendship Association congratulates the Bulgarian Ambassador on one of the most important Bulgarian holidays. Photo: VNT

According to Petkova, the relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam has been increasingly strengthened in the fields of politics, economy, education, tourism, culture, sports, etc. The potential in economic fields between the two countries is very large.

The diplomat also highlighted the official visit to the European nation of Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan in October 2021 and the planned visit of the Speaker of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue in late June this year as well as other upcoming important events.

In the current context, the two countries need to make efforts to promote the relationship between businesses and people, as well as the engine of growth; thereby creating new bridges of friendship, she stressed.

On this occasion, the friendship association coordinated with the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam to organize the exhibition titled "Cyrillic Alphabet" demonstrating the evolution of writing from sign to modern fonts, going through graphic variations of the oldest alphabet, also known as Glagolitic, and Cyrillic alphabet.

The exhibition is also the stylized story of the great career of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodi - the foundation for the formation and preservation of Bulgarian identity over the centuries, as well as the development of writing, culture and literature of the community of Slavic countries, enriching European civilization.

At the celebration, people who have studied, lived and worked in Bulgaria shared and reviewed memories of the country, its people, and the traditional relationship between Vietnam and Bulgaria.

Vietnam and Bulgaria set up diplomatic ties on February 8, 1950.

Dance performance of children of Viet - Bun Kindergarten in Hanoi. Photo: Bulgarian embassy

In 1981, Viet - Bun Kindergarten was built in Hanoi as a friendship gift from the Bulgarian Women’s Union to Vietnamese children. Photo: Bulgarian embassy

The day is always an event to unite Bulgarian friends in Vietnam and an opportunity to show strength and solidarity. Photo: VNT

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