News and Events

On 1^st July, 2025 the Fifth Bulgarian Language and Culture Summer School was officially launched at the building of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the University of Tirana. The Summer School will be held from 1^st to 25^th July at the Faculty.

This initiative has been organized by the Faculty of Foreign Languages and the Department of Slavic and Balkan Languages at the University of Tirana in cooperation with the St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo as part of the Erasmus+ interuniversity cooperation programme.

The opening ceremony took place in the Europe Hall, where the attendees were welcomed, following Bulgarian tradition, by a student in a Bulgarian folk costume and offering traditional bread and honey, a combination symbolising hospitality and good fortune.

The Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Prof. Dr. Esmeralda Kromidha, welcomed the participants and congratulated the organizers and students for their involvement in this initiative, which strengthens academic and cultural connections between Bulgaria and Albania. She highlighted the Dean’s office unwavering support to intercultural and linguistic events in as part of the internationalization of higher education.

His Excellency Ivaylo Kirov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria in Tirana, also wished that to the new edition of the School is off to a good start. He expressed his gratitude for the institutional hospitality and highly appreciated the role of the Faculty of Foreign Languages in the promotion of the Bulgarian language and culture in Albania, expressing gratitude to Prof. As. Dr. Raqi Bello and Dr. Miranda Bello for their dedication and efforts in teaching the Bulgarian language.

Prof. As. Dr. Adriatik Derjaj, Head of the Department of Slavic and Balkan Languages, talked at length about the Department's commitment to extracurricular activities related to Bulgarian language and culture and the enduring commitment to them as an integral part of the Department's academic profile. He thanked his Bulgarian colleagues for their attendance, as well as to the Bulgarian Embassy for the sustained cooperation.

Prof. Slavi Dimitrov, PhD, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Economics, and Prof. As. Dr. Raqi Bello, guests from the University of Veliko Tarnovo, delivered the UVT’s rector’s, Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, PhD, well-wishes, and shared their impressions on the importance of the School for strengthening the academic and cultural ties between the two countries. They thanked the hosts and congratulated the students for their active participation.

The event was also attended by other faculty and staff from Bulgaria, as well as four students from the University of Veliko Tarnovo studying Albanian who will actively participate in the Summer school in order to ensure its smooth completion.

Rector: “The University of Veliko Tarnovo will always welcome you!”

Paris Olympics freestyle wrestling champion Magomed Ramazanov visited the University of Veliko Tarnovo and met with rector prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, PhD.

“I want to congratulate you and thank you for bringing home from the Paris Olympic Games this long-awaited title in wrestling. I know that a lot of work, a lot of hardship, perseverance and especially dedication and love for the sport went into this achievement. You are the good example to all young people in Bulgaria! The University of Veliko Tarnovo is one of the biggest universities in our country. We would be glad to have you as part of our big family and study here! I hope that you remain in good health and earn many more gold medals!” prof. Dimitrov said.

Magomed Ramazanov: “The University is situated at such a beautiful place, it is full of happy young people and I would be glad to become a student here! Thank you for the warm welcome and I hope to bring back many more medals!”

We would like to point out that the gold medallist’s personal trainer is Miroslav Kolev, an alumnus of St. Cyril and St. Methodius UVT.

On July 12, the Rector of the University of Veliko Tarnovo, prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, PhD, Vice-rector for International Relations, assoc. prof. Anna Ivanova, PhD and Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages, assoc. prof. Polina Tsoncheva, PhD, took part in the official award ceremony for this year’s holders of the scholarship given out by the PRC Ambassador.

The event was hosted by the Embassy of The People's Republic of China in The Republic of Bulgaria. There were seven distinguished students from the University of Veliko Tarnovo: Kristiyana Doneva – winner at the national level of the Chinese Bridge competition in 2024, Betizhe Osmanova – ranked third in the 2023 edition of the competition, Sonya Stoyanova, Ivan Ribarski, Martin Naydenov, Tanya Stankova and Yoanna Yordanova, each of whom with their own achievements in their studies of the Chinese language.

The students performed two sword dances and delivered an impressive modern Chinese rap performance. In a specially prepared video, they expressed their gratitude to the Embassy of The People's Republic of China, represented by H.E. Ms. Dai Qingli, for the support they receive each year.

As a reminder, the initiative for a scholarship awarded by the PRC Ambassador first came about in 2020 and was spurred on by the PRC in the pursuit of improving the conditions of Bulgarian students in their study of the Chinese language and culture.