Students from “AzBuki” school in Rome and Colleferro visited Bulgaria

Twenty students from the Bulgarian School (BU) “AzBuki” in Rome and Colleferro of the Cultural Association “Asen and Ilia Peikovi” visited Bulgaria. The visit took place on the basis of a project won by the Ministry of Education and Culture “Educational Routes in Bulgaria”. Mariola Georgieva, director and head of the educational center in Rome and Colleferro, announced this for the “BG World” section of BTA.

The graduates of the educational institution visited the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Kazanlak, Karlovo, Kalofer, Sopot and Shipka thanks to “the good organization and professionalism of the tour operator Mrs. Iskara Pavlova from the Ines Travel travel agency”, commented Mariola Georgieva.

She said the students “experienced the magic” of March 1 (Baba Marta) on home soil for the first time.

“Tradition and multifaceted magic of beauty from martenichki. Each child was greeted and bedecked with marigolds twisted for health and luck. Just as we used to present prepared martenichki in workshops to our school before we left for Bulgaria,” recalled Georgieva.

As part of their visit to their homeland, the students also had the opportunity to talk with the actress Gergana Stoyanova, who “inspired and motivated our children and with exceptional promises for positive thinking and self-discovery”. The children were given her book diaries “I learn, I believe, I can, I know”.

In Sofia, the students visited the National Historical Museum, the temple-monument “St. Alexander Nevsky”, Nezavisimost Square, the National Museum “Bojanska Church”, the necropolis of ancient Serdika, the underground museum of the temple “St. Sofia” and the house museum of Ivan Vazov.

“In the evening, thanks to the dedicated and charming Iskra Pavlova, we visited the Sofia Opera and enjoyed the magical ballet “Zorba the Greek” with the students. Emotions, full of beauty and collected talent on a Bulgarian stage. Thank you for this wonderful evening!”, said Mariola Georgieva.

The next day, the children went to Plovdiv, where they visited the Episcopal Basilica of ancient Philippopolis. Their program also included a guided walking tour in Old Plovdiv in the atmosphere of renaissance Bulgaria; viewing the exposition of the Ethnographic Museum and interactive games; viewing the Ancient Stadium and screening a film about the ancient city of Plovdiv in the 3D cinema; visit to the Academy of Music, Dance and Visual Arts in Plovdiv – AMTII “Prof. Dr. Asen Diamandiev” – Plovdiv.

For the first time, the graduates of the Bulgarian school “AzBuki” celebrated and honored the national holiday March 3 on Bulgarian soil. “We witnessed and were present in two cities – the city of Karlovo and the city of Plovdiv – at the festive dawn and solemn parades, which immortalized in children’s minds and memories the brightest holiday for us, Bulgarians – Bulgaria’s Liberation Day”, said the director of the educational institution.

On the third day of their visit to Bulgaria, the students visited the Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak, as well as the Rose Museum and the Rosary in the city. In the town of Shipka, they visited the Chirpanli House.

The next day, the students were in Karlovo – where they saw the Vasil Levski National Museum and the History Museum, and in Kalofer – the Hristo Botev National Museum.

During the fifth day of their excursion, the children visited the house-museum of Ivan Vazov in Sopot, “Radini Volneniya” – the Radino School from Ivan Vazov’s novel “Under the Yoke”, complex “I am a Bulgarian” above the city.

They also visited the Ethnographic and Craft Center “Sopot Guild”.

In addition to the educational program for visiting cultural and historical monuments, houses, museums and churches, the program included a meeting with representatives of the Executive Agency of Bulgarians Abroad (IABCH) in Sofia and a visit to the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts “Prof. Dr. Asen Diamandiev” in Plovdiv.

On March 1, the representatives of the Bulgarian school “AzBuki” were invited to a friendly meeting with the representative of the “Italy” department at the IABCH Dimitar Kararusinov. There was a meeting of the deputy executive director Dilayla Mihailova with Mariola Georgieva from Rome and her students. Mihailova welcomes the children, talks about how important communication and shared thoughts are in the native language.

Dimitar Kararusinov, the contact person for relations and interaction with the organizations of Bulgarians in Italy, gave a brief report on the goals and tasks that the festivals and competitions set for themselves.

There were poems recited by the children and a special greeting – a bagpipe performance.

The meeting at AMTII “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” in Plovdiv was organized by the “Erasm+” projects department – Elka Nedeva with deputy. Rector Prof. Zhan Pehlivanov, Prof. Veselin Koichevguitar, Prof. Dr. Ivan Simeonov Georgiev – Bagpipe, Prof. Vl. Vladimirov – tambourine.

BU “AzBuki” has been partnering with AMTII “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” under “Erasm+” projects for the exchange of tambourine and folk singing students and bagpipe training with Prof. Dr. Ivan Georgiev. The students and their maestro were lucky enough to meet and play together live for the first time. The meeting took place in the concert hall of AMTII, where the students of the Bulgarian school presented their singing and instrumental talents, said the head of the school, Mariola Georgieva.

“After that, we visited the office of Prof. Dr. Ivan Simeonov, where his bagpipers students played together with Prof. Vladimirov. The impromptu concert was more than musical magic and ecstasy. An unforgettable meeting for all. Touching the roots, Bulgarian folklore by our talented teachers – native and national at heart and soul. It will be remembered and will remain forever in the memory and hearts of all of us,” Georgieva added.

The last stop of “Educational Routes in Bulgaria” for BU “AzBuki” was a friendly meeting with the Italian Lyceum in the city of Sofia.

“Another goal in implementing the project “Educational Routes in Bulgaria” was to match another project won by the Ministry of Education and Culture “Untold Stories for Bulgarians”. Our school jointly visited and found materials in the city of Sopot and the city of Shipka for the herbalist Ivan Raev. A project about which we will tell and show with a film and a book about its fate and achievements, also related to the city of Rome, Italy!”, announced Mariola Georgieva.

“We are extremely grateful to the Ministry of Education and Science for the opportunity given to the project “Educational Routes in Bulgaria”, to the tour operator Iskra Pavlova from Ines Travel OOD, to the Bulgarian Embassy Rome, H.E. Todor Stoyanov, IABCH, AMTII “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” for the hospitality and warm mutual relationship and attitude to BU “AzBuki” in Rome and Colleferro to Cultural Association “Asen and Ilia Peikovi”, Italy. Thank you for the parents’ and children’s trust in the organization and the assistance in its implementation!” commented the director of the educational center in conclusion.