XIX NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
/SLIVEN, 9-11 MAY 2017/
First day
From 9th to 11th of May 2017 Sliven once again welcomed children and artists from Bulgaria and abroad and became the real capital of children's book. 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 XIXth 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 Mrs. Mariya Gabriel – Vice-Chair of the Group of the European People's Party in the European Parliament. 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 9th at10.00 am in the festive decorated lobby of the Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov" in Sliven with the participation of the young artists Maria Dimitrova and Stoyan Velichkov. 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", from Club for young pop and rock singers "Rhythm", Martin Yordanov and duo guitars /Todor Todorv and Simeon Minchev/ - students at National School of Music and Performing Arts “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” - Burgas, acrobatic ballet "Tiara" at the Military Club – the town of Aitos, smiling young dancers from the ballet "Barbie" - Sliven, the singers Ralitsa Chilikova and Djemile Bondju and their friends from the vocal group "Slaveiche" - Sliven. The official start of the festival was given by the Mayor of Sliven, Stefan Radev.
On the specially arranged book bazaar in the square in front of the municipality building were presented the latest children's books from the publishing "Fjut", "Pan", "Hermes", "Janet 45", "Damyan Yakov", "Atea", "Kragozor", "Uniskorp", "Enthusiast", “Zhazhda”, 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!" hosted by the actor Ivan Blagoev. In it took part the following performers: Inav Stoyanov from the vocal ensemble "Morski pesachinki" - Burgas, vocal group "Slaveiche" at II Primary school “Hristo Botev”- Sliven, acrobatic ballet "Tiara" at the Military club – the town of Aitos and Ballet "Barbie" at the Military club - Sliven.
Three exhibitions were opened on the first day of the festival in the art gallery "Dimitar Dobrovich" / 13 "Tsar Liberator" Blvd. /: Exhibition - illustrations of the artist Silvia Kaloyanova - winner of the National Award "K.Konstantinov" in category "Illustrator" for 2016; Exhibition - illustrations of the artist Sashenka Vasilivich /Serbia/; Exhibition - illustrations of artist Romina Bneventi /Italy/.
The exhibition - illustrations of the artist Silvia Kaloyanova-winner of the National Award "K.Konstantinov" in category "Illustrator" for 2016 was opened at 11:30 am in the art gallery "Dimitar Dobrovich".
At 12:00 o’clock on the second floor of the Art Gallery an exhibition - illustrations of the artist Sashenka Vasilivich was opened. The exhibition was opened by Dusan Djurdjev - Director of the International Festival "Zmajevi Deche Igre" /Novi Sad, Serbia/.
At 12:30 o’clock in the Marble Hall of "D. Dobrovich" Art Gallery an exhibition - illustrations by the Italian artist Romina Benevent was opened.
This year again a milestone in the festival program was the round table with international participation on topic: "Books, children and teenagers: reading between reason and emotions". The forum aims to analyze reading as a conscious process and the factors that influence today the formation of children and teenagers into active readers, and to discuss the state of national policies in the context of these factors. The emphasis was put on some successful innovative practices and activities to increase children’s motivation to read. Fifteen reports of participants from Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary, the Netherlands and Russia, which have already been printed in a bilingual collection in Bulgarian and English, were presented. 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. Reports and presentations in the forum read: Dr. Rositsa Petrova - Vasileva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mladen Enchev (Shoumen University "K. Preslavski"), Deyan Aleksich (Serbia), Assoc. Prof. Mariana Mandeva (Veliko Tarnovo University "St. St. Cyril and Methodius”), Dr. Ahmet Altay (Turkey), Ugur Altintash (University Kirklareli, Turkey), Krisztina Dezső (Hungary), Dr. Stella V. Georgieva (Veliko Tarnovo University "St. St. Cyril and Methodius”), Prof. Dr. Lachezar Georgiev (Veliko Tarnovo University "St. St. Cyril and Methodius"), Adrian Langendonk (Netherlands), Prof. Dr. Albert Benbasat (Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" ), Mila Vasov (Serbia), Vesela Flamburari (Greece), Mikhail Samarskiy (Russia), Dr. Victoria Biserova- “Enthusiast” Publishing.
Several premieres of children's books were held on the first day of the festival.
The book by Kina Kadreva "Sea tales" was presented at 10:45 am in the Small Hall of Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov".
Asen Sirakov’s book "A Tale about the Littel Elephant" was presented in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov" from 11.30 to 12.30 pm.
From 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm again in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "Stefan Kirov" was presented Nikola Raykov’s book "Good creatures".
The premiere of Julia Spiridonova’s book "Where are you, Sun" started at 2.00 pm in the chamber hall of "Stefan Kirov" drama theatre.
The premiere of Radostina Nikolova’s book “My lovely horns” was held at 2.30 pm in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "St. Kirov".
At 3.30 pm in the chamber hall of the Drama Theater "St. Kirov" was presented the book "Mina and the magic for prophecy" by Vesela Flamburari.
At 5: 00 pm in "May" Hall was opened the exhibition "Theatre puppets of favorite literary characters" and participants in the VIth National Competition for making theater puppets of favorite literary characters- Sliven, 2017 were rewarded. The competition involved more than 365 children and adolescents all over the country as 21 of them were awarded prizes. The winners were published on the Internet site of the festival http://childbookfest.iradeum.com. Special prizes were also awarded to children, participants in the competition from the Bulgarian Language School in Budapest, Hungary.
The rich of events first day of the XIX 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. The concert started at 5.30 pm and in it took part the young actors Maria Dimitrova and Stoyan Velichkov, acrobatic ballet "Tiara" and "Barbie" ballet, studens from NSMSA "Prof. P. Vladigerov" Burgas. Also children from Sports Club for acrobatics "Stefan Danchev" Sliven took part in the show. The concert ended with dances performed by the dance groups "Detelina" at XII secondary school "Elisaveta Bagryana" and dance troupe “Biserche” at Military club-Sliven.
