BALKAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE ASSOCIATION
The idea of founding the Balkan Cultural Institute association emerged in the mid 80s of the twentieth century but was realized in mid- 2011, after meetings and talks with prominent artists, scientists, musicians, journalists - people that create intellectual products and are interested in a closer cultural interaction with neighboring countries and with the rest of the world. The main goal of our association is to promote, popularize and establish values in culture, art, music, cultural heritage and all other areas of creative intellectual activity in the Balkan region or Southeast Europe, as it is often called nowadays.
Our motto is:
Unity through culture!
We support the development of cooperation in culture, art, cultural heritage between Bulgaria and its Balkan neighbors by promoting their cultural achievements, which we believe will contribute to their better understanding. Through a greater mobility of artists we want to make more visible to the world the achievements of our region outstanding for its vitality, a region where so many languages are spoken and which, unfortunately, in the words of w. Churchill, produces more history than it can consume. Our goal is through cultural cooperation and bringing together artists and creators to get rid of the negative historical stereotypes and to work to promote a new positive image of both Bulgaria and the other countries in the region in order to change the existing rather negative "collective image" of the Balkans as a whole and especially - across the European Union and beyond it.
Our activities are in different areas of culture - organizing exhibitions, concerts, meetings, conferences, seminars, lectures and other public events related to culture, art, music and dance, the history of Bulgaria and other Balkan countries and their cultural heritage. We aim to contribute to the development of new European cultural routes that might be implemented in the field of cultural tourism. Through publishing activity, developing information products and promotional materials in connection with implementation of our goals, preparation and distribution of documentary films, multimedia products and other materials which have applications in science and education, we hope to develop better milieu for creativity of modern arts in the Balkans. We want to cooperate with similar organizations to explore and promote achievements, heritage, culture, art, outstanding authors, artists and personalities in the Balkan countries. We aim to prepare and distribute expertise and analytical products for practical, scientific, historical, educational applications related to culture, art and history of Bulgaria and other Balkan countries and their cultural policy, to prepare and support projects related to music, dance, art events and to extend various forms of cultural exchange between countries in our region as well as with the countries of the European Union and the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Regions.
To realize these goals we will seek cooperation with state and municipal authorities, institutions and structures to implement joint activities with similar organizations at home and abroad, will organize and participate in international events, programs and projects with international financing opportunities.
Prominent artists, scientists, people with distinguished achievements in musical art were attracted by these goals and are among the founders of this association which will help us to deploy our activities not only regionally, not only by the development of bilateral cultural dialogue, but in any filed of culture, and, why not – in the synthesis of arts. We believe this complex, interdisciplinary and innovative approach can open many horizons for regional and interregional cooperation in culture as well as can have a positive impact on the perception of the rich cultural heritage and contemporary culture in the Balkans by the younger generations. Our overall vision briefly could be expressed by a paraphrase of the title of the Bulgarian edition of the book of the prominent researcher of the Balkans - Maria Todorova:
Balkans without "Balkanism”
Balkans without hatred, without separation. We believe that the best means to achieve this is culture and cultural cooperation, creativity, and co-creation - with open minds and vision for the future. Our organization is open and we will be happy to expand both our membership and the geography and fields of activity. We welcome everyone who shares the same ideas and visions.
Yordanka Bibina,
Chairman
