The Bulgarian Cultural Institute in London organized a special celebration in honor of May 24 - the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, and of Georgi Gospodinov and the prestigious Booker Prize, which was awarded for his novel “Vremeubezhishte” (Time Shelter) in the excellent translation of Angela Rodel.

  The ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the Royal Geographical Society in London, which with its 700 seats proved too small for the spectators, many of whom watched the programme standing up.

  There was a thunderous applause from the audience at the entrance of Gospodinov and Rodel.  The  latter congratulated everyone in Bulgarian on the celebration of our alphabet and sang a Bulgarian folk song.

  The wonderful program featured the distinguished Bulgarian musicians Svetlin Rusev, Theodosii Spassov, Boyan Ivanov, as well as the Hastings String Quartet. They performed compositions by Dobrinka Tabakova, Pancho Vladigerov, Peter Hristoskov, Theodosii Spassov and others.

  During Teodosii Spasov-s performance the English part of the audience was trying to identify the irregular rhythms.

  The audience of this exciting celebration was greeted by the Bulgarian Minister of Culture Naiden Todorov, Ambassador Marin Raykov and the writer Georgi Gospodinov.