The international science form “The Way of Light” opened in Athens on 11 May, the day on which the Orthodox church honours Saints Cyril and Methodius. The event was opened by and is taking place under the patronage of Bulgaria’s Vice President Iliana Iotova.

“This is a day which we shall spend talking about Bulgaria. We shall talk about history, civilization, literature and culture – such as they were more than 11 centuries ago when they were created and which then spread far beyond the boundaries of what was then Bulgaria,” Iliana Iotova said.

The Bulgarian vice president laid emphasis on the role of the Bulgarian Sunday schools abroad in preserving our national identity, and more specifically – the important role of the Saints Cyril and Methodius school in Athens which has been helping children acquire knowledge of the Bulgarian language, culture, history, geography, folklore.

Iliana Iotova highlighted the work of the Saints Cyril and Methodius and their disciples, thanks to whom more than 300 million people around the world use the Cyrillic alphabet.

The forum in Athens is taking place with the support of the Bulgarian embassy in Greece, and is co-organized by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences’ Cyrillo-Methodian Research Center, the Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, and the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad. The event is part of the celebrations of the 20^th anniversary of the Bulgarian Sunday school Saints Cyril and Methodius in Athens. Radio Bulgaria is media partner of the event.

• Bulgarian Sunday school Saints Cyril and Methodius in Athens celebrates 20th anniversary
• The Bulgarian language brings together, in Athens, teachers and school children from the Bulgarian Sunday schools abroad

Reporting by Vessela Krasteva

Photos: Vessela Krasteva