A photo exhibition “Bulgaria’s contribution to the Slavic cultural heritage” opened at the JINR Cultural Centre “Mir” on 11 May. This exhibition has already been presented in a number of European countries. The exhibition includes photocopies of ancient handwritten documents in Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets, stored in the archives of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Russia, and Serbia, as well as photographs of frescoes of churches and monasteries that are significant for the history of the Bulgarian people. The exhibition is dedicated to the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture, which is celebrated in several JINR Member States on 24 May.

Director of the Joint Institute Grigory Trubnikov, JINR Scientific Leader Victor Matveev, Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov, and Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Moscow Victor Boychev spoke at the opening ceremony.

Grigory Trubnikov reminded that it was already becoming a good tradition to hold joint events with the Bulgarian Cultural Institute. In 2021, the Year of Bulgaria was celebrated at JINR, as part of which a number of exhibitions took place at JINR. “Dubna and Bulgaria, as one of the Member States and founding states of our Institute, show together a very good example. Even in difficult times, it is possible to maintain and strengthen partnership, build scientific and cultural bridges,” the JINR Director expressed his confidence. He highlighted that it was extremely important for each state to protect its language, alphabet, history, and religion. “In Bulgaria, people take care of their language, their alphabet, their history,” Grigory Trubnikov said.

JINR Scientific Leader Victor Matveev emphasised the symbolism of the fact that a festive opening of the exhibition took place on 11 May. According to the Julian Calendar, this day was the Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, the creators of Slavic writing. “I would like to congratulate all of us and, above all, our Bulgarian colleagues, friends, partners on this great Bulgarian holiday! It has become the holiday of all Slavs,” he said.

JINR Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov noted in his speech that the Slavs made a fundamental contribution to the development of world civilisation by creating their own writing and culture. He said that the Saints Cyril and Methodius Day had been widely celebrated since the middle of the 19th century and was a national holiday in Bulgaria. “The current exhibition is another example that the activity of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in the name of the development of scientific and technical, intellectual potential of the Member States contributed to the creation of an international scientific, educational, and cultural environment in Dubna. It represents our motto “Science brings nations together”,” he concluded.

Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Moscow Victor Boychev thanked everyone for the warm welcome in Dubna and spoke about the history of the creation of the exhibition, as well as the dissemination of the Orthodox culture in Bulgaria. He said that before being in Dubna the exhibition was in many European countries, namely the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Slovakia, and others.

The exhibits of the exhibition are part of a large photo collection “The Balkans. Common heritage”. The artefacts have been collected for many years by leading Bulgarian scientists, namely Professor Ivan Marazov and Professor Axinia Džurova together with a photographer Ivo Hadjimishev. “The charisma of icons and ancient manuscripts, touching the secrets of these things, in addition to an emotional outburst, gives spiritual pleasure and joy. I would like to believe that it was possible to convey this joy with the help of the exhibition,” an author Axinia Džurova describes the exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to visitors at the exhibition hall of the Cultural Centre “Mir” until 29 May every day from 1:00 to 7:00 PM, except Monday. Admission is free.