Literary Evening & Discussion

Bulgaria Branded in Britain? Is There More than Folklore?
Please note that the working language for this event will be English

“Do the Dance, Don’t Miss the Chance”, so runs the nice little offer made by the European Regional Development Fund co-working on the “Multimedia Catalogue of Tourist Sites and Electronic Marketing Destination Bulgaria. But is there more to modern Bulgaria than folklore alone?

However beautiful our national traditions in dancing and singing, they are but one aspect of Bulgaria today. In the 21st century the image of Bulgaria has the potential to be as diverse as that of any other modern European country. Living proof are the many successful Bulgarians in all walks of life, living and working in the UK. Is Bulgaria for ever to remain for the British merely the country of rose oil and horo round dances, or can we offer a different perception of diligent, intelligent, ambitious and successful professionals?

You are cordially invited to participate in the discussion led by (in order of speaking):

Mrs. Aglika Markova (Chair)
Aglika Markova is a Bulgarian translator, who has translated more than 40 books into English. She was born in 1942 and graduated with a degree in English Philology from Sofia University. Her first literary translation was in 1977 with the book Put out more flags by the famous English author Evelyn Waugh followed by her translations. of most of his other works. Among the other well-known authors she has translated are Kurt Vonnegut, John Goldsworthy, J.M. Coetzee, V.S. Naipaul, James Morier and Iris Murdoch. Currently, she is working on the translation of Natasha’s Dance by Orlando Figes.

Professor Michael Holman
Emeritus Professor of Russian and Slavonic Studies at the University of Leeds, where he taught Russian and Bulgarian language and literature. Michael has translated Bulgarian fiction into English and has been actively involved in Anglo-Bulgarian cultural interchange for more than forty years.

Mrs. Katharine Hill
?xpert on EU-related issues, Chairperson of Bulgarska ‘Traditzia Fondacia’ Bulgaria between 2004 – 2008; since then, working on how to finance social enterprises so that they can help meet society’s growing, complex needs. She is a Board member of “Friends of Bulgaria” and the wife of the ex-British Ambassador to Sofia HE Mr. Jeremy Hill.

Mrs. Dessislava Ivanova
First Secretary (Political) at the Bulgarian Embassy in London (2009 -), MA in International Business and Diplomacy, Dissertation paper: “British Perceptions of Bulgaria. The Nation’s Image and Bilateral Relations”, presented at the University of East Anglia/London Diplomatic Academy.

Dr. Slavik Tabakov
MSc in Medical Engineering and Physics, Clinical Sciences (Medical Physics), King’s College London, Consultant Medical Physicist at the Dept. of Medical Engineering and Physics, King’s College Hospital London.

Dr. Assia Tabakova
Specialist in e-Learning (Medical Physics and other medical-related disciplines) at King’s College London since 2003. She has authored several books, including Introduction to European Integration (PEM Foundation, 1998); All Rights Reserved – World Famous and Curious Cases in Intellectual Property (ABS, London, 1996); and an e-Encyclopaedia in Medical Engineering and Physics (2011, co-author). She has also published numerous articles, including Eastern Europe in Transformation – The Evidence of Intellectual Property Data, Queen Mary College, London 1994; New Bulgarian Law Awaits Adoption by Parliament, European Intellectual Property Review (EIPR), 1992; Information Technology in Academic Institutions, Brunel University, London 1992; and various articles and conference reports on e-Learning (2006-current).

Ms. Dobrinka Tabakova
An award-winning young British/Bulgarian composer who lives and works in London.

Dr. Julian Popov
A founding Executive Director of the New Bulgarian University, Chairman of the “Elizabeth Kostova” Foundation for Creative Writing, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the UK charity Friends of Bulgaria, adviser to the European Climate Foundation on Low Carbon Policies and Strategic Communication in Central and Eastern Europe, author of two books and numerous articles published in Bulgaria and abroad.