The Academic Council of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski has unanimously endorsed an open letter advocating for the continuation of the Czech Centre in Sofia, following the announcement that the institution is ceasing its operations in the Bulgarian capital. The Centre issued a statement on Monday confirming that, by directive from the Director General of the Czech Centres network, the Sofia branch would close, marking the end of its cultural and educational activities in Bulgaria.
Planned events are scheduled to continue through the end of May. The Czech Centre in Sofia holds historical significance, being the oldest Czech institution of its kind abroad and a long-standing cultural organization in Bulgaria. The center will celebrate its 77th anniversary on May 5.
Its origins trace back to May 5, 1949, when an art and craft shop named Ceskoslovenska tvorba Orbis opened at 100 Rakovski Street in Sofia, established under a cultural agreement between Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria. Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia into the Czech and Slovak Republics in 1993, the Czech Republic established the Czech Centres to succeed the former Czechoslovak cultural centers abroad. Against this backdrop, the Academic Council of Sofia University voiced significant concern regarding the planned closure.
The Council urged a reconsideration of the decision, emphasizing the center’s deep historical and cultural value and its ongoing role in sustaining established Czech-Bulgarian cultural relations.
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