XVIII NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL

/SLIVEN, 9-11 маY 2016/

First day

From 9 to 11 May 2016 In Sliven, at the initiative of "Sava Dobroplodni" Regional Library - Sliven in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Municipality - Sliven, District Administration - Sliven, Association "Bulgarian Book", State Agency for Bulgarians abroad, the largest children's publishing houses the XVIII^th National children's book Festival - the only forum in Bulgaria dedicated entirely to children's books, the problems related to its issuance, distribution, and reading was held.

The wonderful three-day festival was held under the patronage of Mr. Rashidov - Minister of Culture and Mrs. Desislava Taneva - Minister of Agriculture and Food. Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the festival was the mayor of Sliven - Mr. Stefan Radev.

The festival was opened with a concert performance on May 9 from 10.00 am in the festive decorated lobby of the Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov" in Sliven. In the concert took part: Ivan Stoyanov - Bulgarian representative in the song contest "Children's Eurovision-2015", Stanislav Iliev - the boy who presented Sliven with dignity in the show "Bulgaria's Got Talent 2016", charming little cheerleaders from dance ensemble "Magic Rhythms" at Kindergarten "Valshebstvo" - Burgas, talented ballerinas Desislava Ruseva and Bilyana Nikolova from acrobatic ballet "Tiara" at the Military Club – the town of Aitos, smiling young dancers from the ballet "Barbie" - Sliven, performers from the vocal ensemble "Morski pesachinki" - Burgas and the singers from the vocal group "Slaveiche" - Sliven. The official start of the festival was given by the Mayor of Sliven, Stefan Radev. Among the guests at the opening of the Festival were the deputies Galya Zecharieva, Maria Belova and Ivan Slavov, the regional governor of Sliven region - Mrs. Tatiana Petkova, the Chairman of the Municipal Council of Sliven - Dimitar Mitev, Louisiana Savkova from the Ministry of Culture, members of the Organizing Committee of the festival, authors, publishers, artists, guests from Bulgaria and abroad, many children.

On the specially arranged book bazaar in the square in front of the municipality building were presented the latest children's books publishing "Fjut", "Pan", "Hermes", "Janet 45", "Damyan Yakov", "Atea", "Kragozor", "Uniskorp", "BG kniga", etc. For the visitors of the book bazaar were organized raffles with prizes. The books were sold with large discounts.

At 11.00 am on the stage built next to the bazaar of children's books began the concert "Hello, our festival!" In it took part the following performers: Brass Orchestra at the National School of Music and Performing Arts "Prof. P. Vladigerov" - Burgas, vocal ensemble "Morski pesachinki" - Burgas, acrobatic ballet "Tiara" at the Military club – the town of Aitos and Ballet "Barbie" at the Military club - Sliven. For children's audience there was also an entertaining game with prizes held "Tell me your favorite poem!"

 Three exhibitions were opened on the first day of the festival in the gallery "Dimitar Dobrovich" / 13 "Tsar Liberator" Blvd. /: Exhibition - illustrations of the artist Kostadin Kostadinov - winner of the National Award "K.Konstantinov" in category "Illustrator" for 2015; Exhibition - illustrations "Peak" of the artist Petar Stanimirov; Exhibition - illustrations of artist Boris Stoilov for book "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery /the edition published was the translated version of the book from French of the famous writer from Sliven Konstantin Konstantinov/.

The exhibition - illustrations "Peak" of the artist Peter Stanimirov was opened at 12: 00 o’clock. At 12: 30 in the Marble Hall of "D. Dobrovich" Art Gallery an exhibition - illustrations for the book "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery artist Boris Stoilov was opened.

At 1: 00 pm on the second floor of the Gallery an exhibition - illustrations by the artist Kostadin Kostadinov - winner of the National Award" K. Konstantinov "- category" Illustrator "- 2015 was opened.

This year again a milestone in the festival program was the round table with international participation on topic: "National literatures for children in the global world". The forum aims to present the status of the translation of books, representing national literatures for children in other countries, to analyze the factors that influence their translation and distribution in foreign literary markets, publishing policies for translated children's books, ways to promote cross-border circulation and distribution of books through traditional and digital channels. The roundtable was opened on 9 May at 1: 30 pm in the Hall for events of "Sava Dobroplodni" regional library by Tatiana Petkova - governor of Sliven region. Moderator of the forum was Dr. Rositsa Petrova-Vasileva - director of "Sava Dobroplodni" regional library and organizer of the festival. The forum presented 15 reports that have been published in a bilingual collection in Bulgarian and English. Reports and presentations in the forum read: Dr. Rositsa Petrova - Vasileva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mladen Enchev (Shoumen University "K. Preslavski"), Mira Cerović Tasich (Serbia), Assoc. Prof. Vihren Chernokozhev, Rosica Chernokozheva (Institute of literature - BAS), Dr. Ahmet Altay (Turkey), Ugur Altintash (University Kirklareli, Turkey), Gyongi Berets (Hungary), Shimo Ešić (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Dr. Stella V. Georgieva (Veliko Tarnovo University "St. St. Cyril and Methodius”), Prof. Dr. Lachezar Georgiev (Veliko Tarnovo University "St. St. Cyril and Methodius"), Dr. Katya Kirilova (Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"), Prof. Dr. Albert Benbasat (Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" ), Mila Vasov (Serbia), Vesela Flamburari (Greece), Dimitar Bechev (literary critic), Rositsa Tsvetanova (translator).

Several premieres of children's books were held on the first day of the festival.

The book by Angelina Zhekova "From sea to sky" was presented at 11:00 am in the Small Hall of Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov".

Dilyana Kruseva’s book "Prince Brave heart and Kingdom of Heaven" was presented in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov" from 12.00 to 1.00 pm.

At 1.00 pm again in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov" was presented Rumen Ivanchev’s book "The toy of the winds".

The premiere of Pavlina Pavlova’s book "The Magic horse" started at 2.00 pm in the chamber hall of "Stefan Kirov" drama theatre.

The premiere of the novel for teenagers “Kronos” by Julia Spiridonova-Julka attracted great interest and it was held at 3.00 pm in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "St.Kirov".

 At 4.00 pm in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "St.Kirov" was presented the book "My First Book about Bulgaria" by Tsanko Lalev and Lyubomir Rusanov.

At 5: 00 pm in "May" Hall was opened the exhibition "Theatre puppets of favorite literary characters" and participants in the V^th National Competition for making theater puppets of favorite literary characters- Sliven, 2016 were rewarded. The competition involved more than 320 children and adolescents all over the country as 25 of them were awarded prizes. The winners were published on the Internet site of the festival http://childbookfest.iradeum.com. The prizes in different age groups were handed in by Dimitar Mitev - Chairman of the Municipal Council of Sliven, Valery Chilin - director of "Vini" company - Sliven and Milena Cholakova - chairman of the permanent commission for education, culture and religion to the Municipal Council - Sliven, and three members of the Organizing Committee of the festival.

The rich of events first day of the XVIII National Children's Book Festival ended with a concert entitled "Let’s turn our wonderful dreams into songs" on the open stage on 1 "Tsar Osvoboditel" Boulevard. In the took part many vocal and dance groups from Sliven kindergartens "Mak", "Sinchets" and "Zvezditsa", acrobatic ballet "Tiara" and "Barbie" ballet, a vocal ensemble "Fortissimo" - Bourgas, a brass band at NSMSA "Prof. P. Vladigerov" and young singers from Club for young pop and rock artists "Rhythm" - Slaveya Tsaneva, Teodora Slavova and Ivan Edrev took part in it. Also children from Sports Club for acrobatics "Stefan Danchev" Sliven took part in the show. The concert ended with a colorful folklore dances performed by the dance groups "Bulgarian" at II elementary school "Hristo Botev", “Detelina"- at XII School "Elizsaveta Bagryana" and folklore dance troupe at XI secondary School "Konstantin Konstantinov". Host of the show was the actor Dimitar Kostadinov.