The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) in cooperation with the Institut Universitaire de France, Université de Lorraine and the Historical Museum of Isperih organized an International Conference Thrace between East and West with a colloquium Imitations in Ancient Thrace.

The conference was dedicated to the memory of Professor Olivier Picard and was held from 5 to 8 October 2023 in the town of Isperich. More than 50 scholars from Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland and the USA took part in the event.

Professor Olivier Picard (March 4, 1940 - September 1, 2023) was a great friend of Bulgaria and of the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology. His research contributed significantly to the study of Thracian-Hellenic relations through the ages, based on the results of his archaeological investigations on Thassos Island. Moreover, under his leadership, the French School in Athens opened its doors to Bulgarian scholars to use the rich library collection of the institution and to actively participate in its academic life during their stay.

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On October 2, 2023 at Prof. Marin Drinov Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences the latest book of Assoc. Prof. Todor Chobanov, PhD "Origin of the Bulgarians. The Debate in the 21st Century" was presented. The author gives answers to the fundamental questions: Where did Bulgarians come from? What are the roots of our people? What is common between ancient and modern Bulgarians. In his research Assoc. Prof. Todor Chobanov, PhD uses methods of archaeology, history and paleogenetics/paleogenomics to debunk myths and pseudo-theories that have been imposed for decades.

The fundamental scholarly work was presented by Prof. D.Sc. Stanislav Stanilov and the author. Mr. Mario Mishev from "Bulgarian History" Publishing House spoke about the work on the book. The book is published by "Bulgarian History" Publishing House in cooperation with the Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

The event ended with musical performance by Maestro Prof. Angel Stankov and virtuoso pianist Ivelina Kazandzhieva.

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The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) is pleased to invite you to the public lecture of Assoc. Prof. Lubomir Krustev, PhD (Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski") The Thin Red Line. The Crimean War and the European balance of power.

The event is organised under the initiative Every Second Tuesday and will be held on October 10, 2023 (Tuesday) at 17:00 at the IBSCT-BAS (Moskovska Street No. 45).

We are looking forward to welcoming you!

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The Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) in cooperation with Institut Universitaire de France, Université de Lorraine and Historical Museum - Isperih organized an International Conference Thrace between East and West with a colloquium on imitations in Ancient Thrace. The conference is dedicated to the memory of Professor Olivier Picard and will be held from October 5 to 8, 2023 in Isperih. Scholars from Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland and the USA will take part in the event.

The conference is being implemented with the financial support of the Bulgarian National Science Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science, contract No. № КП-06-МНФ/20 dated 08.08.2023.

The organizers of the prestigious scholarly forum are Assoc. Prof. Ivo Topalilov, PhD and Irina Shopova, PhD affiliated with the IBSCT-BAS, and Assoc. Prof. Aliénor Rufin Solas, PhD, from Université de Lorraine.

The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) is pleased to invite you to the Discussion Forum "The Otherness: Yesterday and Today". The event will take place on October 9, 2023 at 16.30 at the IBSCT-BAS (Moskovska Street No. 13). Discussion will be led by Archpriest Dr. Sava Kokudev (Faculty of Theology of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"), Assist. Prof. Dr. Evlogi Stanchev (IBSCT-BAS), Dr. Kristiyan Kovachev (IBSCT-BAS) and Milen Petrov (IBSCT-BAS), PhD student. Moderator of the event: Milen Markov (IBSCT-BAS).

We are looking forward to welcoming you!

On October 3, 2023 at 16.00 at the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Moskovska Street No. 45) will be screened the documentary The Little Marquise /2021, Director: Stanislav Donchev/ about the life of Fannie Popova-Moutafova. After the screening at 17.00, a discussion with representatives of the film crew will take place.

The event is a part of the seminar Documentary Cinema and History: Paradoxes of an Inevitable Cooperation, which is realized under the project Conversations about Literature and the Peninsula, led by Assoc. Prof. Lyudmila Mindova, PhD.

The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) is pleased to invite you to the public lecture of Stamenka Antonova, PhD (IBSCT-BAS) Early Christian Painting and Religious Symbols in Late Antiquity: The Tomb of the Archangels and Serdica Necropolis.

The event is organised under the initiative Every Second Tuesday and will be held on September 12, 2023 (Tuesday) at 17:00 at the IBSCT-BAS (Moskovska Street No. 45).

We are looking forward to welcoming you!

As a part of the traditionally good cooperation between the Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Embassy of the Republic of France in Bulgaria, a scholarly seminar "The Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria" was held on July 25, 2023 in "Slaveykov Hall" of the French Institute in Bulgaria with the special participation of Prof. Valeria Fol. The event was organized under the National Scholarly Program "Development of Bulgarian Studies Abroad", funded by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Prof. Fol presented gold and silver vessels, jewelry, weapons and other objects from the most famous treasures of exceptional artisanship and historical value, discovered in modern Bulgaria: the Borovo, Valchitran, Panagyurishte, Rogozen treasures, etc.

Among the guests of the scholarly forum were H.E. Joël Meyer, Ambassador of France to Bulgaria, H.E. Khalid Emara, Ambassador of Egypt to Bulgaria, Mrs. Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, Director of the State Cultural Institute to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elka Traykova, Scientific Secretary of the Department "Cultural Heritage and National Identity" at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, diplomats, scholars and students.

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The Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences requests the pleasure of your company at the scholarly seminar “The Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria” with the special participation of Prof. Valeria Fol.

The event is organized under the National Scholarly Program Development of Bulgarian Studies Abroad and will take place on 25th of July 2023 at 17:00 in “Slaveykov” Hall of the French Institute in Bulgaria.

We look forward to welcoming you.

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The exhibition "The Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria" was prepared by a team of the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) under the National Scholarly Program Development of Bulgarian Studies Abroad.

The materials of the IBSCT-BAS were created under the "Bulgariana" Project by Prof. D.Sc. Valeria Fol and Nikolay Genov, photographer.

The exhibition is shown in the central foyer of the BAS - Administration (Sofia, 15 November Street No. 1) from 17 to 31 July 2023.

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Kaloyan Konstantinov, a PhD student at the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Acadermy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) was awarded the prestigious King's College London Emerging Leader Award. Since 2017, the award has been given in 12 categories to distinguished alumni of the university who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and civic leadership. Kaloyan completed his MA in Middle Eastern Studies in 2018 in London. In 2021, he enrolled in a PhD programme at the IBSCT-BAS, dedicated to the relations between Iran and the Balkans in the period 1990-2021.

He received the award for his work as an independent journalist covering hot spots and world-changing events - including the war in Ukraine from the front, protests in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Tunisia, etc.. The jury also appreciated his activities as an international lecturer on media literacy, disinformation and international relations.

Kaloyan combines his research as a PhD student at the IBSCT-BAS with fieldwork. Just days ago, on June 29, he was also awarded the Journalism for Peace Award for his on-the-ground reporting of the bloody protests in support of human rights and democracy in Iran since 2022. At the end of last year, he was also included in the prestigious "30 under 3" ranking of Forbes Magazine for influential people.

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On June 29-30, 2023, the Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences held a conference with international participation themed "Modern technologies and interdisciplinary approach to cultural heritage". The scholarly forum took place in the National Historical and Archaeological Reserve Pliska. For the second year in a row, the two institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences collaborated in the spirit of their best traditions. The conference was held with the special participation of Acad. Draga Toncheva, who delivered a keeynote speech on the genomic heritage of ancient populations.

More than twenty scholars and experts from various fields presented reports about the possibilities of modern technologies to refine the achievements of historiography. Special attention was paid to paleogenomics as an extremely important and new direction in modern science, and the possibilities and limits of using its results in the field of history and archaeology were outlined. Results of recently conducted geophysical surveys, three-dimensional laser scans of objects, RTI and 3D studies, as well as projects for 3D reconstructions of irretrievably lost urban structures were presented.

Modern technologies for the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage were presented by scientists from Komotini and Athens.

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