Balgarianovinite.com А discussion at BTA’s National Press Club in Kazanlak, part of BTA’s Pencho Slaveykov Today initiative, dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the birth of the poet from Tryavna and a leading figure of Bulgarian modernism, took place on Thursday. The event coincided with the fourth anniversary of the reopening of BTA’s renovated press club in Kazanlak and took place during the city’s Rose Festival celebrations.
Addressing the discussion, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said that Kazanlak is one of Bulgaria’s strongest examples of continuous modernization built upon a foundation of tradition. Valchev said that Pencho Slaveykov was among the key figures who laid the foundations of modern Bulgarian literature and embodied the idea of modernizing Bulgaria and the Bulgarian nation. He explained that the discussions held across different cities as part of the initiative focus not only on local expressions of modernism in various fields, but also seek to answer the broader question of what it means to be modern today.
Kazanlak Mayor Galina Stoyanova said that the spirit of Bulgarian modernism can still be found in Kazanlak – a city that preserves the memory of artists such as Pencho Slaveykov, Chudomir, and Ivan Milev. According to Stoyanova, Pencho Slaveykov remains one of the most significant figures in Bulgarian culture, whose ideas continue to provoke reflection today. She noted that the topic of his work often causes concern among high school graduates. This confirms the fact that the misunderstood poet Pencho Slaveykov continues to be misunderstood in Bulgaria. According to her, Slaveykov’s fate is an example of the attitude toward individuals who are ahead of their time.
Poet, literary scholar and critic Yordan Eftimov, who moderates the discussions that are part of BTA’s Pencho Slaveykov Today initiative, underlined that Slaveykov was one of the key figures who, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, sought both to modernize Bulgarian culture and preserve its unique character. According to Eftimov, one of the central themes throughout the series has been Slaveykov’s attitude toward Bulgarian folklore. The literary scholar recalled the poet’s essay Bulgarian Folk Song, in which Slaveykov described the genius of the Bulgarian people as unparalleled and emphasized the importance of folk creativity for the development of Bulgarian literature.
Eftimov said that the subject has so far been discussed mainly in academic circles and less frequently in a broader public context. In his opinion, greater attention should also be paid to the relationships between Pencho Slaveykov and the other leading representatives of Bulgarian modernism. He also drew attention to the connections between literature and the other arts. Eftimov highlighted Kazanlak’s significance as a city with rich traditions in the visual arts and expressed hope that the discussion would help establish new links between Pencho Slaveykov’s literary legacy and the achievements of Bulgarian painters and artists.
BTA’s Pencho Slaveykov Today initiative is taking place in all 33 national press clubs of the agency across the country. The first discussion dedicated to Pencho Slaveykov was held in his hometown of Tryavna on April 27, marking the 160th anniversary of his birth.
The December 2026 issue of BTA’s LIK Magazine will also be dedicated to Pencho Slaveykov and will feature reports from the discussions, as well as contributions of 160 words by 160 people marking the anniversary. Discussion in Kazanlak Explores Links between Pencho Slaveykov, Modernism, and Town’s Cultural Heritage 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-04 18:48:07 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law