Balgarianovinite.com An exhibition titled “Traditional Shirt with Altita (embroidery on the shoulder): Stories from Folklore Heritage Brought Back to Life”, featuring contemporary Bessarabian and Ukrainian folk costumes inspired by traditional designs, opened at the National Ethnographic Museum of the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum on Friday.
The exhibition will be open to visitors until August 30. It is part of the museum’s programme marking its 120th anniversary.
The display features traditional garments recreated by the Sezatoarea Basarabiei (Bessarabian Gathering) community after folk costumes preserved in the collection of Moldova’s National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History in Chisinau. The hand-crafted shirts were reconstructed following research into the original garments’ patterns, embroidery, colours and symbolism.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Bozhidar Parvanov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies, which is an academic unit of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, said the exhibition offered a deeper insight into Moldova’s cultural heritage. “The delicate and symmetrical embroidery on the garments created by the Sezatoarea Basarabiei community reflects the exceptional skills of contemporary Moldovan artisans and craftspeople inspired by tradition and cultural heritage,” he said.
Parvanov noted that the museum had worked closely with the Moldovan Embassy in Bulgaria on numerous exhibitions and projects that had helped strengthen ties between the two countries, especially in science and culture.
Moldovan Ambassador Emil Jacota said in his address: “Here, a centuries-old tradition meets our fast-paced everyday life.” The diplomat said the project’s main objective was to preserve the national heritage, as well as the local diversity of traditional clothing. The artisans recreated and restored the embroidery patterns using sketches, photographs and authentic garments. Each has contributed something of her own in line with her creative vision, he said. The Sezatoarea Basarabiei community includes teachers, museum specialists, engineers and mothers caring for their children.
Jacota said the shirts were created by the community using traditional materials and drawing on the rich legacy of historic techniques and motifs found in the original embroidery. The embroidered shirt is regarded as the most important garment and the finest item worn by women and girls. The exhibition presents a priceless treasure of traditional Romanian and Bessarabian costume, bringing it back into contemporary life as a symbol of identity, the ambassador said.
Ashot Kazaryan, Deputy Mayor of Sofia’s Vitosha district, said the similarities in the embroidery traditions reflected the long-standing ties between Bulgaria and Moldova.
Raina Mandzhukova, Executive Director of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, said that while every cultural heritage handed down by ancestors was unique, common elements could always be found. “The role of such exhibitions and of every initiative that showcases these treasures is to enrich us and make us more thoughtful, wiser and more knowledgeable. All this brings us closer together and makes us richer and more tolerant towards one another,” she said. Contemporary Bessarabian Costumes Inspired by Traditional Designs Displayed at National Ethnographic Museum 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-31 17:40:00 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
