06 Mar Кампанията „Неписани истории за Бузлуджа“ събира лични истории и гледни точки
The Buzludzha's Unwritten Stories campaign continues until April 9 – all perspectives are welcome. Anyone interested can register, and participants with the brightest stories and viewpoints will be invited to share more in a video interview.
The Buzludzha Project Foundation is launching the campaign Buzludzha's Unwritten Stories, inviting everyone interested to share their personal story and express their opinion about the Buzludzha monument.
What is the goal of the campaign?
The campaign results, along with expert research and thematic discussions, will serve as the foundation for the first prototype of an exhibition about the Buzludzha Monument. It will be available online through a specially designed digital twin of the monument. In the long run, it could also contribute to the development of a physical exhibition within the building itself.
The project is driven by the significant public interest in the Buzludzha Monument and the lack of a comprehensive narrative about the site. The Buzludzha Project Foundation invites all points of view – personal memories, experiences, and opinions about its past, present, and future. This includes stories from the construction, use, looting, and re-evaluation of the monument, as well as diverse perspectives and critical opinions about the building.
Anyone can participate by filling out the registration form or contact us at stories@buzludzha-project.com and 0893796384.
Watch the promotional video of the campaign Buzludzha's Unwritten Stories
Why Now?
Up to now, the foundation has completed all major preliminary research and successfully implemented emergency measures to stabilize the mosaics in the building. While activities continue on the physical preservation of the monument including upcoming projects for the roof and windows, led by Regional Administration Stara Zagora in partnership with Kazanlak Municipality and the Buzludzha Project Foundation, the work on the content is equally crucial.
The key questions that need to be answered are:
- What is the meaning of this building today?
- How can its existence be interpreted?
- What stories and messages should be included in the future exhibition?
If in the past, the official narrative of the monument was imposed "from above" with an ideological purpose, today we have the opportunity to build the narrative "from below" - through the personal stories of people. This allows for the creation of a multilayered narrative with depth and educational value, which can provoke critical thinking and active civic engagement.
Campaign History and International Context
The first edition of Buzludzha's Unwritten Stories, took place in 2020, when the foundation team gathered stories from the builders and employees of the building.
Today, the initiative has a broader scope, encompassing not only memories from the construction but also perspectives from young people, foreigners, the repressed, and anyone with a connection to the topic.
This work is part of the international project Developing an Inclusive Process for Communicating Controversial Heritage under the program EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) of the EU.
Project partners include:
- University of Bologna
- EUROM – The European Observatory on Memories at the University of Barcelona
- ATRIUM – Association and European Cultural Route of the Council of Europe
- EuroClio – The European Association of History Educators
Stories are being collected both in Bulgaria and Italy. The University of Bologna is working in parallel on researching the history of the mosaics at the Aeronautics High School in Forlì,which was built during Mussolini’s time.
What's next?
The first results of the campaign will be presented at the Heritage Forum: Partnerships and Communities, which will take place in Sofia on April 8-9.
The event will bring together experts from over 10 countriesto discuss citizen engagement, the building of heritage communities and cooperation between the state, civil society, and business for the preservation of cultural heritage.
Your story is important! Let’s collect the full history of Buzludzha together!
