What is the magic of the most Bulgarian of days? The answer can be found in an event, organized by the Sofia city library mottoed: Of letters, of people reborn and more… The final words may sound enigmatic, but they give a marvellous start to the celebrations of May 24, the day of the Slavonic alphabet, Bulgarian enlightenment and culture. The Cyrillic alphabet is used in Bulgaria and a number of other countries, and when this country joined the EU on January 1, 2007, it became the third official alphabet of the EU.

By a tradition, every year the Sofia city library marks the day of the Bulgarian script and the men who created it Sts. Cyril and Methodius in different ways. This year it has prepared a documentary series about the lifework of Cyril and Methodius. Here, visitors can also see an exhibition of the first Bulgarian primers and elementary school books, including the first modern Bulgarian primer, Petar Beron’s Fish Primer and many other books that have kept the Bulgarian spirit and culture alive through the ages.

For the first time this year the library is organizing open-air celebrations in Slaveikov square (named after another renowned Bulgarian man of letters, Petko Slaveikov), said for Radio Bulgaria its director Yulia Tsinzova. She has always kept in close contact with her readers from Sofia – for the third generation now. The open-air stage is the library’s gift for them – with performances of the hymn to the Bulgarian letters March on, you people reborn and songs from the time of the Bulgarian National Revival, songs sung by the children from the children’s vocal group Smehorancheta, Bulgarian horo dances by the colourful group from the National Children’s Palace, right down to the moving poems by the laureates of the Library in the age of Aquarius contest and the wreath of flowers made by girls from the Sofia secondary schools dressed up in national costumes to be laid at the monument to prominent writers Petko and Pencho Slaveikov in Sofia’s book market.

“It turns out young people in Bulgaria have no problem reading on the Internet or traditional paper books, unlike us, adults,” Yulia Tsinzova says and adds:

“We offer T-shirts with the words Sofia City Library on the front and excerpts of poems by leading Bulgarian poets like Hristo Botev and Dimcho Debelyanov on the back. This is a new idea and we intend to develop it – there will be poems by many more of the newer poets. And we hope this will be a message extended to all Bulgarians. Reading is back and it is bearing fruit!”

The celebrations will be kick started by the children from Smehorancheta – the popular children’s group will mark its 25^th anniversary with a concert at the Music Theatre, said its artistic director Galina Kodjamanova. They will perform the traditional hymn to the Bulgarian letters - March on, you people reborn but also popular Bulgarian songs, as well as pieces composed especially for the group’s jubilee. One of them is the song that received an award at the Bulgarian National Radio’s children’s radio contest Shturoteka - Frolic-otheque.

“Absolutely everything will be special: the classics, the arranged folklore, the modern and the new songs,” Galya says. What does singing teach children?

“It teaches them team-work and how to organize their work themselves. That is something that will be very useful at school, as they will have to combine their time at school with rehearsals and concerts. But most of all it gives them friendship and what really matters – it develops their musical potential.”

And one more thing – what does May 24 signify to Aya, Mihaela and Lexy from Smehorancheta?

“It is a very nice holiday,” says Aya, who is wearing the special 24 May T-shirt, with excerpts from a poem by Hristo Botev on its back. “We sing songs about the letters, about Bulgaria. We can all have a good time. This is a day that is very important to us. We must all work very hard to learn to read and write.”

“We must all follow our dreams and do the things we love best,” this is Mihaela’s wish to all Bulgarian children in the country and around the world. “I really love to sing. We will sing the hymn to the Bulgarian alphabet, a song about goodness and magic.”

“My name is Lexy and I would like to wish everyone lots of smiles and happiness on this day and also tell them that they must read books.”

These words coming from a little girl, herself a budding talent, make May 24 even more magical.

English version: Milena Daynova