The ambassador of the Russian Federation in our country Eleonora Mitrofanova congratulated the Bulgarian people with "our common holiday" – The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. We offer you her address without editorial intervention.
"Dear friends,
I congratulate you on our common holiday – The Day of Slavic writing and culture in the Russian tradition and the Day of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian alphabet, education, culture and Slavic writing according to the Bulgarian calendar.
The contribution of the holy brothers and their students to the formation of a unique Slavic world cannot be overestimated.
The creation of their own writing became a symbol of the spiritual self-determination of the Slavic peoples. It gave a powerful stimulus to the spread of literacy and the Orthodox faith. Just imagine – today, more than four hundred million people speak Slavic languages, which appeared thanks to the development of the Cyrillic alphabet.
During my work in Bulgaria, I became convinced that here May 24 is one of the most loved, truly national holidays. In Russia, this day also remains an important date. It symbolizes our core values – faith, service to the Fatherland, devotion to our ancestral roots. Every year on the twenty-fourth of May, large-scale concerts are held on Red Square in Moscow, and church services are held in memory of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and their disciples.
I would like to believe that we will be able to preserve their incredible heritage from the influence of globalization and modern trends towards erosion of cultural identity and unification of national traditions. Our writing and the unique literary tradition that developed thanks to it appeared as a result of the selfless work of Bulgarian writers, and it is our duty to carefully preserve this gift.
Let the love for one's country, the word and enlightenment be a support and a moral guide for all of us. Happy holiday, friends, happy Day of Slavic writing and culture!"