If you ever find yourself among the Bulgarian teachers abroad, of those enthusiastic individuals who organize the life of Bulgarian communities in all parts of the world, or among our compatriots from the historically formed Bulgarian diasporas in Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine, you will invariably feel the strong love for Bulgaria which these people carry in their hearts.

"We will find some of the most impressive modern awakeners among Bulgarians abroad. For the most part, these are really people who burn with the spirit of the National Revival, for whom the words "Bulgaria" and "Bulgarian" are not clichés, but carry a huge content,"said in an interview with Trud daily Prof. Vladimir Penchev, a researcher of Bulgarian migration communities. Evidence of his words can be found in the video messages with which people from all over the world responded to the initiative of Bulgaria’s Vice President Iliana Iotova entitled "Bulgaria Awakened". It encurages children, young people and adults from Bulgarian communities abroad to express their connection with their homeland, its past and future.

And although we say that Bulgaria is everywhere in the world where the Bulgarian language is spoken, it turns out that Bulgaria can be found even where the thread of the language has been severed. Impressive is the story of a descendant of Bulgarians in Uruguay, who shows a bronze plaque with the inscription "El Bulgaro". It used to be placed in his grandparents' store and accompanied the family to Bolivia, Argentina, and Uruguay. "I didn't know my grandparents, but one day I found a bronze plaque. That's how I got in touch with my roots,"Nelson Avdalov shares in Spanish.

So far, “Bulgaria Awakened” has received video letters from dozens of cities from Argentina to Australia, from Peru, the United States, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

"I am very excited because we have gathered a new, much richer and more fascinating image of our country through this initiative," said in an interview with Radio Bulgaria Vice President Iliana Iotova. She chose the multilingual program of the Bulgarian National Radio so that her words could reach everyone who takes the idea of the initiative to heart.

We know that the word “buditel” (translated into English as awakener, enlightener, spiritual leader) has no equivalent in any other language. We often wonder who the modern awakeners are. Here we can see that these are also the Bulgarians who live abroad. They are awakeners because they created dance ensembles, made Bulgarian folklore, Bulgarian writers, Bulgarian culture and language famous worldwide. That is why I turn to them and thank them! I am sure that through the Bulgarian National Radio and Radio Bulgaria these messages will reach everyone and we will have a truly wonderful November 1^st because we deserve it. The awakeners have created the Bulgarian nation,"Iliana Iotova stressed.

For yet another time, I was convinced of the huge potential of the Bulgarian nation, said the Vice President, speaking about the hundreds of letters received for the "Bulgaria Awakened" initiative dedicated to the Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leader and Awakeners. "Note that in some cases we are talking about people who are the 5^th or 6^th generation of Bulgarians abroad," she said.

"Once again I was convinced of how we know how to protect the Bulgarian spirit, despite the fact that there are constant doubts, we even say that this is a disappearing nation, we have a demographic problem. You know, when you see these materials and hear these voices, the most important feeling which remains i that our nation, our people, our state will survive. We just need to find the people who can manage it well so that a large part of those who have sought themselves out somewhere outside of the country can return. And if not them, then it could be their children.

Iliana Iotova sees the potential for this change in the common efforts of all Bulgarians. "I do not think that we have become less of patriots here, or that we do not love our country," she says, comparing the attitude towards Bulgaria of Bulgarians in the country and abroad.

"Recently, I have been optimistic because I see an awakened civil society that no longer resigns itself easily to the lack of order, to the lack of laws, to the fact that we live as the people of the poorest and most backward country within the EU. And I rely a lot on the young people, because with this will and energy that they show, they will make their peers living outside Bulgaria come back here. I truly believe in this! ”

Written by Elena Karkalanova

Photos:  facebook.com/IlianaIotova, BGNES