The Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Odessa keeps its doors open even during wartime

published on 12/13/22 2:30 PM

Dmitry Terzi

Photo: Facebook / Дмитрий Терзи

"This is a very hard, terrible war. A war that was unthinkable until it came true. Russia should have thought many times before starting it. Everybody condemns it - Bulgarians, Moldovans, Greeks, Jews, Russians and Ukrainians. What a loss - human, financial," Dmitry Terzi, chairman of the All-Ukrainian Center for Bulgarian Culture in Odessa, told Radio Bulgaria.

Russian strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure cut off electricity, water and heat supplies to the coastal city. However, the harsh conditions have not disrupted the life of the cultural centre, as Bulgarians there still need a place to gather, talk and show support for each other. The number of Bulgarians in Odessa, according to Terzi, is around 50-60 thousand - in fact, it is the fourth largest community in the multinational city.

There are several Bulgarian cultural centres here, but the All-Ukrainian Centre of Bulgarian Culture is "top of the pops", as its chairman puts it. The centre is sustained through support from local patriotic Bulgarians, as the Bulgarian state focuses mainly on supporting Sunday schools abroad: "The Centre has no financial support from either Bulgaria or Kiev. It is a public organization that is funded directly by the members of the Association of Bulgarians in Ukraine with Anton Kisse as chairman - Bulgarians who make a small monetary contribution that allows us to maintain this atmosphere, the cultural activity of the Bulgarians", - emphasizes Terzi.

Despite the wartime situation, exhibitions and concerts are constantly organised here. This year, the centre is breaking with the tradition of celebrating Christmas the old-fashioned way, on 7 January, and will mark it, as in Bulgaria, on 25 December. Priests will be invited to the celebration to explain to people why and how the difference in celebration dates came about. An exhibition of children's drawings and a concert of classical music with elements of Bulgarian traditional music will be organised.

Dmitry Terzi frankly admits that Bulgarians in Odessa are not very familiar with the traditions of celebrating Christmas and what is put on the table. "We don't really have a tradition like in Bulgaria. A village keeps the language, let it be dialect, customs and traditions. But in a big city it's a slightly different story. An assimilation is in progress here. In the last, let's say, 100 years, we have not had such a Bulgarian influence here to strengthen the memory of tradition, to embed it in our souls and hearts."

That is why the activity of the centre is important - to encourage and promote among the local Bulgarians the knowledge of the Bulgarian language, Bulgarian history and culture, the observance of Bulgarian traditions and customs.

Now Dmitry Terzi has planned to organize local Bulgarian youth to start collecting photos of Bulgarians who died during the war in Ukraine - from children to elderly, including people who died at the front. And then a big exhibition will be presented - in Ukraine and in Bulgaria, because, as he points out: "Bulgaria must know that our people are actively involved in this war. With money, with blood, with suffering and anguish. We really want this to end as soon as possible," said Dmitry Terzi, chairman of the All-Ukrainian Centre for Bulgarian Culture in Odessa, at the end of the conversation.

Miracles are said to happen at Christmas - if we pray for them with all our hearts. All sane people are hoping and praying for sanity and a way out of this catastrophe that has claimed so many lives.

English version: Elizabeth Radkova

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The Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Odessa keeps its doors open even during wartime

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