Vážení čtenáři,

Let us bring you information from the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius (ECRSCM) for the months of May and June and wish you a pleasant reading.

The Cyril and Methodius Route has been undergoing an evaluation cycle since the summer of 2024, culminating in a successful audience of representatives of the ECRSCM association on 6 May at the European Convention Centre in Luxembourg in front of representatives of the 43 countries that are members of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA). The official decision on the renewal of the certificate of the Council of Europe was delivered to the secretariat of the association on 12 June. Zuzana Vojtová, Director of the ECRSCM Association, said, ‘I would like to thank everyone who helped us in the evaluation process and all the members for their activities, which we could present.’ All 49 Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe are regularly evaluated by independent experts. The next evaluation of the Cyril and Methodius Route will take place in 5 years. 

Romea Strata has newly received the prestigious Council of Europe certificate this year. Congratulations! The European Association Romea Strata, which has been building the Route since 2019, is a member of the ECRSCM!

Meeting of ECRSCM representatives – Ms Martina Janochová and Ms Tatiana Mikušová with the new EPA Secretary General, Mr Rui Gomes, and Mr Ilja Kocian from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic during the audience in Luxembourg. 

Having been invited by the Institute of Macedonian Literature at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, the Cyril and Methodius Route - a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe took part in the Cyril and Methodius national celebrations in North Macedonia. The regular meeting of the members of the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius was held for the first time in North Macedonia. The members from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Greece attended the meeting in Skopje personally, while others joined online. Inaugurated by Mr Zoran Ljutkov, Minister of Culture and Tourism of North Macedonia, and Prof. Natasha Avramovska, director of the organizer – the Institute of Macedonian Literature, it took place at the Porta Macedonia. Minister Zoran Ljutkov said, ‘This route reminds us that culture is our strongest tool for peace, for respect, for togetherness. At a time when the world is still facing division and uncertainty, we are here building strong bridges - with words, with values, with spirit. As the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we will continue to support this route with great respect and enthusiasm - to strengthen it, to expand it, and above all, to make it visible and alive for the youth, for those who come after us, who will carry forward the torch of Cyril and Methodius.’

Members of the ECRSCM at the Porta Macedonia in Skopje, photo by Martin Peterka. 

An important point of the meeting was the enlargement of ECRSCM association with new members from Bulgaria and Slovakia. Mr Ivan Láska, a Councillor of the Zlín Region and the newly elected Chairman of the ECRSCM said, ‘The membership network has grown to include 6 new members: the Sofia University ‘Saint Kliment Ohridski’; the National High School for Ancient Languages and Cultures ‘St. Constantine-Cyril the Philosopher’, Sofia; the ‘Glagolitica Foundation’, Sofia; the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava; the ‘Bratislava Tourism’ Regional Tourism Organization; and the Municipality of Selce (Slovakia).’  Currently, the association developing the Route has 43 members from 10 countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy.

Po schůzkách ve Skopji se zástupci sdružení přesunuli do Ochridu, kde se setkali s primátorem panem Kirilem Pečákovem, zástupci ochridské Fakulty cestovního ruchu a pohostinství Univerzity sv. Klimenta Ochridského v Bitole a Muzea Ochrid. Program cesty zahrnoval také prohlídku ochridských kostelů a klášterů a seznámení se s živoucím odkazem následovníků svatých bratrů – sv. Nauma a sv. Klimenta Ochridského. 

At the St. Naum Monastery in Ohrid, photo by Martin Peterka. 

Prior to the General Assembly in Skopje, a meeting of the ECRSCM Managing Committee took place on 13 May in the Archaeopark Chotěbuz-Podobora (Czech Republic) near the Czech-Polish border. Representatives of members from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria participated in the meeting. As part of the programme prepared in cooperation with the Moravian-Silesian Region, the participants also visited the archaeological park, which presents the Great Moravian history.

The new magazine Europe – Along the Cyril and Methodius Route, a joint work of the members of the ECRSCM association, was inaugurated at the Europe House in Skopje on 20 May. The 90-page magazine is an invitation to the Cyril and Methodius Route in all the participating countries as part of the the travel edition Look At It! Its launch in Skopje took place with the participation of Ms Marija S. Gjorgova, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of North Macedonia, Ms. Jovanka K. Gjorgjeska, Councillor for cultural policies and cultural development, H. E. Jaroslav Ludva, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to North Macedonia, H. E. Henrik Markuš, Ambassador of Slovakia to North Macedonia, and other eminent guests at this festive event. 

We are pleased to inform you about the new scientific collaboration of the Thessaloniki History Center of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, which is co-organizing and hosting two new and very important scientific events of international character.

On May 9, the International Scientific Meeting took place at the Billi Mansion (Hippodromiou Square), on the topic: "The Thessalonian brothers Cyril and Methodius – equal to apostles and saints of literacy and education," with the participation of scholars, educators, and students from Greece and Bulgaria. Through the presentations, the influence of the civilizing work of the Thessalonian Saints Cyril and Methodius on literature, the production of written texts, and education will be highlighted.

Immediately after the conclusion of the International Scientific Meeting, the exhibition titled "Cyril and Methodius: Image, Memory, Identity" begun as a parallel event in the Foyer of the Thessaloniki City Hall. The exhibition was designed by the Cyrillo-Methodian Research Center at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It presented examples of secular representations of Cyril and Methodius, originating from both Slavic and non-Slavic countries, covering a broad chronological period from the late 19th century to the present day. All these exhibits are highlighted as important sites of memory and testimonies for the interpretation of the legacy and impact of their work in different historical and political contexts.

Co-organizer of the events, together with the Municipality of Thessaloniki and the Thessaloniki History Center, is the Cyrillo-Methodian Research Center at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Exhibition "Cyril and Methodius: Image, Memory, Identity" in Thessaloniki, photo City of Thessaloniki. 

The Cyril and Methodius Children's Passport is an educational travel guide that playfully guides families with children along the Cyril and Methodius Route in Slovakia in the Bratislava, Nitra, Trnava and Žilina regions. This year, the Children's Passport also offers to visit sights in Moravia (Czech Republic). It is an attractive offer for trips of families who plan to use the summer months actively. This seasonal cultural tourism product will deepen knowledge of the heritage of the Heralds and allow children to learn about history in a playful way. Children will be excited to collect stamps and earn rewards during their adventures. The Cyril and Methodius Children's Passport will last until 30 September 2025.

The interactive nature of the Cyril and Methodius Children's Passport encourages families to visit several places along the Cyril and Methodius Route. Visitors collect stamps as they visit the featured sites. When they reach the minimum number of 5 stamps in the passport, they can get a great gift for their children, which will be sent to their address when the conditions are met.

"Through this seasonal product we want to motivate visitors to learn about cultural heritage and their own history. At the same time, we want to promote sustainable cultural tourism in our regions. The Cyril and Methodius Children's Passport can be an attractive way to bring our culture and history closer to the younger generation and at the same time strengthen the tourist experience for whole families," said Juraj Droba, Governor of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region.

We believe that the Cyril and Methodius Children's Passport will be a benefit for all partners involved and a positive experience for the bonding in the tourism product offered. More up-to-date information can be found on the website www.kulturnecesty.sk

The Zlín Region has announced a subsidy programme to support tourism on its territory and, among other things, will support the construction of social facilities and emergency shelters on hiking trails, including trails of the Cyril and Methodius Route. Detailed information about the conditions of the programme can be found on the Zlín Region website. Applications will be accepted from 7 July to 31 July and up to CZK 1 million can be applied for. If the site is located on the Cyril and Methodius Route, the applicant will automatically receive 40 points (out of a total of 100 points). 

On May 17, 2025, the Archaeological Museum "Veliki Preslav" took part in the European Night of Museums by participating in the exhibition “Codes of Identity – Faith, Language, People” hosted at the National Anthropological Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The exhibition featured valuable archaeological artefacts from the museum’s collections, underscoring the cultural and spiritual legacy of medieval Bulgaria. Among the highlights were Glagolitic and Cyrillic manuscripts, along with tools used in the writing, production, and illumination of books, gospels, and liturgical texts. The items showcased the vital role of the Preslav Literary School in the development of the Cyrillic script and the spread of Christian literary culture in Bulgaria and across the Slavic world.

From the exhibition "Codes of Identity - Faith, Language, People", photo by Alexander Gorchev. 

On the eve of the Feast of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and Slavic Literature, the Cyrillo-Methodian Research Centre at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences organized an International Academic Conference titled “Christian Missions in the European Middle Ages and their Intellectual Heritage. History, Notions, Ideas.” This large-scale forum brought together over 60 participants from 14 countries - Austria, Belarus, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, the USA, Slovakia, Serbia, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic - representing 40 leading institutions in Slavic and historical studies.

V rámci akce bylo slavnostně zahájeno otevření výstavy “Po stopách učedníků: Cyrilo-metodějská cesta v Bulharsku – součást Evropské kulturní stezky Rady Evropy” a prezentován XXXV. svazek edice Cyrilo-metodějské studie.

International Scientific Conference in Sofia, photo by CMRC-BAS. 

The annual solemn assembly of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in honour the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, Bulgarian Alphabet, Education, and Culture was held on 23 May. The celebration was opened with an excerpt in Old Bulgarian from “On the Letters” by Chernorizets Hrabar and official address of the Academy’s Chairperson, prof. Evelina Slavcheva. The Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel delivered an academic address, recalling the deep connection between faith and knowledge. The event was attended by the Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev, university rectors, representatives of the academic community. A musical performance was presented by students from the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” and seventeen young scientists were recognized for their achievements and received awards. Scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences also participated in the traditional May 24th procession in Sofia.

Assembly at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, photo by Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Na oslavu svátku svatých Cyrila a Metoděje představili studenti Národní umělecké akademie v Sofii a její pobočky v Burgasu živý projekt zaměřený na hlaholici. Jejich expresivní malby oživily bohaté filozofické, vzdělávací a estetické rozměry hlaholských písmen. Tradiční iniciativa učitelů a studentů Katedry plakátu a vizuální komunikace pořádat výstavy u příležitosti 24. května byla zahájena na konci 20. století a má nepřetržitou třicetiletou tradici.

Students paintings, photo by National Academy of Art in Sofia.

On May 25 and 26, the Palace Centre of Medieval Preslav became the setting for the latest edition of the Fair of Medieval Cultural Heritage “Preslav Days.” The event opened with the official awarding of the laureates of the international cultural forum “Great Preslav – The History of an Entire Nation.” The forum included works in the form of poems, short stories, drawings, and architectural models, all dedicated to themes such as the medieval capital Preslav, the reign and achievements of Tsar Simeon the Great, the contributions of the Preslav Literary School, and the cultural and architectural heritage of 9th–10th century Bulgaria. More than 300 participants from Bulgaria and abroad took part in the competition.

Během dvoudenních oslav se obyvatelé a návštěvníci Veliki Preslav přenesli do světa středověké Bulharské říše. Veletrh oživil historii pohlcujícími historickými rekonstrukcemi, které proměnily místo v živé muzeum pod širým nebem.

Preslav Days, photo by Alexander Gorchev.

Cyril and Methodius Historical Festivities in Bratislava-Devín, 21 June

Exhibition "Hidden Letters", Church of the Holy Cross, Bratislava-Devín

21 June - 30 September 

The Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava cordially invite you to the launch of the travelling exhibition - installation Hidden Letters, a project of the Read Sofia Foundation. The authors are Todora Radeva - curator and producer, Kiril Zlatkov - artist and Ivan Ivanov - architect. The exhibition consists of 8 colorful benches, in combination of 10 unique letters B, D, Ж, З, И-Й, Ц-Щ, Ь-Ъ, Я which are taken by Kliment Ohridski from Glagolitic and are not present in the Greek and Latin alphabet. The benches are also the place where the verses of Bulgarian contemporary poets, also translated into Slovak, are presented.

Nitra, Dear Nitra Festivities, 4-6 July

Cyrillo-Methodian Days Terchová, 4-6 July

Evropská kulturní cesta sv. Cyrila a Metoděje, I.A.L.E.

J. A. Bati 5520, 760 01 Zlín, Česká republika

Tel: +420 733 161 674

E-mail: info@cyril-methodius.eu

Web: www.cyril-methodius.eu

Evropská kulturní cesta sv. Cyrila a Metoděje is an interest association of legal entities based in the Czech Republic, founded in 2013. It promotes the living Cyrillo-Methodian legacy and values based on respect and dialogue between people of different cultures and faiths. As a cultural tourism product, the Cyril and Methodius Route was awarded the title of a  Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2021. The Association European Cultural Route of Sts. Cyril and Methodius is responsible for its management and marketing.

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