The President of BAS, Corresponding Member Evelina Slavcheva, and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mihaela Dotsova, opened today in the Marble Foyer of the Parliament the “Bulgarian Revolutionaries and Men of Letters on the April Uprising” photo-documentary exhibition.
The exhibition was organized by the Institute for Bulgarian Language of BAS and is part of the initiatives marking the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising. The exhibition was organized by young scholars and features revolutionaries, bookmen, and public figures who contributed to the preparation and execution of one of the most significant events in Bulgaria’s history of national liberation.
We have made it our duty to ensure that the anniversary of the uprising is commemorated not only with memorial ceremonies, but also through academic research, documentary exhibitions, educational initiatives, public lectures, and discussions that highlight the multifaceted significance of the April Uprising for the development of Bulgarian statehood, culture, and national identity, said Corr. Memb. Slavcheva in her speech. “This exhibition focuses on a truth that is sometimes overshadowed by the heroic events – that a revolution always begins with words. Before the guns came the books. Before the barricades came the schools, community centers, and the printed word. Before self-sacrifice came spiritual awakening, added the President of BAS. She thanked the National Assembly for hosting the event and for making it possible for the exhibition to reach the general public.
If it weren’t for the April Uprising, there would be no Bulgarian parliament, said the Speaker of the National Assembly in her speech. This exhibition features 15 panels with inspiring quotes from figures of the April Uprising, and we now have the opportunity to reflect on them. Thanks to the Institute for Bulgarian Language, every word has been preserved so that it can be heard again and remain in the minds of each and every one of us, added Mihaela Dotsova.
The exhibition will be on display in the National Assembly building through the end of July. Members of Parliament, scholars, and journalists attended the official opening.
