By Rumyana Vakarelska The first ever memorandum for co-operation
between the Bulgarian National Library St. St. Cyril and Methodius“ (NBKM) and the British Library was signed last Thursday, aiming at two major institutions to exchange materials, show dedicated parts of their digital collections online to their respective readerships and audiences and undertake future research projects.
These projects may also include third parties, joint participation in EU programmes, also including sponsor countries like Qatar, following an established contact made by the NBKM and most importantly looking for expanding their cultural education initiatives in their respective countries through new projects.
Most of all, this first ever memorandum will allow Bulgaria and Bulgarians in the UK to be better recognised long-term through its heritage, cultural traditions and unique identity, not short-term political and economic developments in the UK or Bulgaria alike, also allowing them to take part in representing Bulgaria and its cultural heritage wherever they are in Britain, regardless of their occupation.
Prof. Boryana Hristova, Director of NBKM, was certainly the right party to lead on this new relationship, also urging the British Library to show an online exhibition about end of 19c and early 20c Sofia ahead of Sofia City Council`s bid for the title of European Capital in 2019. As a Classics specialist, she showed a vivid knowledge of some of the old collections in the British Library, as the Bulgarian delegation had a chance to look at one of British Library`s permanent exhibitions of ancient scripts. Prof. Hristova gave as a gift to her hosts two books published by NBKM, including ”slavonic manuscripts register of the Institute for Church and Historical Archives in Sofia and ”sspiritual images” based on NBKM`s Russian collections.
To make the bid for Sofia, whereby the NBKM is older than the Bulgarian National Assembly and one of the City`s key cultural live landmarks of the Bulgarian capital, two key members of the Sofia municipality attended in the face of Malina Edreva, Chairwoman of the Committee on education and culture at the Sofia City Council and an EPP Co-ordinator for the education committee of the regions, as well as Irina Yordanova, Councillor at the Sofia City Council and Chairwoman of the Committee on EU Affairs and Civil Society together with His Excellence Konstantin Dimitrov, the Bulgarian Ambassador to the UK, who has helped this long-expected ground-breaking meeting to happen.
Typical to today`s UK-Bulgarian relations, the Bulgarian delegation was well-prepared for the meeting, reminding that NBKM, a cultural heritage gem of different kind is on a good track to become a newly-recognised household name in the UK, a process that NBKM can well learn more about from the British Library.
Following the Memorandum of co-operation signed by prof. Hristova on the Bulgarian side and by Dr. Kristian Jensen, Head of Collections and Curation and on the UK side, accompanied also by Janet Zmroczek, Head of European studies, as well as Scot McKendrick, Head if History and Classical Studies, the two parties are going to plan their future plans for specific together and discuss it in early 2015, following a visit of the British Library team to Sofia to raise awareness of NBKM`s unique Oriental manuscripts collection.
In the run up to the general elections campaigns in both countries with Bulgaria having 5 October 2014 set as a date for early elections, which has been just decided and UK”s general elections due in May 2015 at the end of the full term of the current coalition government, new steps of cultural co-operation between the two capitals could only ease the tensions on EU immigration to the UK the Bulgarian ex-pats have experienced.
For those of them, who have been lucky to spend their formative years in either of the national libraries, the new Memorandum is a dream come through, for the ones who have not, is a good opportunity to do that right now.
Copyright Rumyana Vakarelska
Prof. Boryana Hristova and Dr. Kristian Jensen in a steady hand-shake after signing the first ever Memorandum of Co-operation between the Bulgaria`s and UK`s national libraries.
Copyright Rumyana Vakarelska
Prof. Boryana Hristova, Director of the Bulgarian National Library wit a precious gift to Janet Zmroczek, Head of European Studies and Dr. Kristian Jensen, Head of Collections and Curation respectively at the British Library.
Copyright Rumyana Vakarelska
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In the knowledge that news and analysis about Bulgaria in the UK press is limited or often biased, ‘Buldilnik’ newspaper has entered a new content partnership with Rumyana Vakarelska, an established City and Whitehall journalist of Team New Europe, an editorial and public affairs consultancy in London. From now on, ‘Budilnik’ newspaper will offer on a regular basis a new English Language Page inside containing original journalistic content in print and online on key developments in Bulgaria and Britain and UK’s ex-pat life to build a higher and well-informed mutual awareness of the two countries and the viable prospects ahead of both. The English Page will include topics about business, politics, culture and identity that are of specific interest to Bulgarian ex-pat community, also known as ‘Drugata Bulgaria’, the Other Bulgaria. The first English Language page came out in the spring, the second one is the current issue, enjoy! May sponsors for the English Language page contact Rumyana Vakarelska by email: rumy. vakarelska@ gmail.com
