On February 7, 2025, a public lecture-discussion entitled “Cultivating influence: Cultural diplomacy between France and Bulgaria” was held in the Ivan Geshov Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It was organized by the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) in partnership with the State Institute for Culture to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria (DKI). This is the first in a series of events dedicated to cultural diplomacy in Bulgaria and the Balkans, which are being implemented under the project “Cultural Diplomacy in the Balkans in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science.
The Vice President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. B.Sc. Evdokia Pasheva opened the forum and greeted participants and guests – representatives of the diplomatic corps and the cultural sector, established and young scholars, doctoral candidates and students. The Director of IBSCT-BAS Prof. Dr. Roumiana Preshlenova also addressed the attendees. The initiator and moderator of the event was Asst. Prof. Dr. Alexandra Milanova, Scientific Coordinator of the IBSCT-BAS and Head of the project.
The Director of the DKI Mrs. Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova emphasized the fruitful cooperation between the institute she leads and IBSCT-BAS in recent years, prime example of which was the international conference “Cultural Diplomacy and the Balkans: Achievements and Challenges in the Present Time”, held on October 23, 2024 at the National Gallery.
Special guests and speakers of the event were H.E. Joël Meyer, Ambassador of France to Bulgaria and Mr. Luc Lévy, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Action and Director of the French Institute in Sofia. They presented the evolution of the French concept of cultural diplomacy, pointed out specific initiatives and individuals who have contributed most to the promotion of the French language and culture in Bulgaria and of Bulgarian culture in France, and noted the challenges facing cultural diplomacy in the contemporary world.
The event was held in the context of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the first agreement between the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). It is expected that the bilateral agreement between the two institutions will be renewed later this year, which will provide new opportunities for scientific cooperation.
