Conversation on The Russian Image in Bulgaria and The Image of Bulgaria in Russia

Meeting-discussion on the Russian Image in Bulgaria and the Image of Bulgaria in Russia was organized at the university by the International Relations Research Students Association (IRRSA) and the Russian Cultural and Information Center. Guest lecturers in the event were Alexander Afanasiev, former official at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denis Maltsev, Senior Research Fellow at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies and Lukyana Suvorova, Head of the International Cooperation Division in the National Youth Council of Russia (NYCR). At the meeting attended also Victor Bazhenov, Director of the Russian Cultural and Information Center.

From the right to the left: Elizabeth Bozhinova, Chairwoman of IRRSA, Alexander Afanasiev, Lukyana Suvorova, Denis Maltsev

Alexander Afanasiev spoke about the falsification of history, situation in Ukraine and Eurasian nature of Russian civilization. He examined the so-called Eurasian concept, made a historical reference and situated Eurasian civilization between the Eastern and Western ones pointing out Russia as their unifying center.

The image of Bulgaria in Russia and the Russian image in Bulgaria were commented by Denis Maltsev who based also on the research of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies over the textbooks in the Eastern European countries and particularly in Bulgaria. He determined the changes in Bulgarian textbooks over the past two decades as "some revision" which had led also to the replacement of the image of Russia in them.

At the Scientific Councils Hall

The Eastern partnership and development of youth policies were analyzed by Lukyana Suvorova who presented the idea for establishment of Standing Balkan Forum and Russian-Bulgarian Youth Forum.  

Students during the meeting-discussion