In 2025, at a meeting under the session on our native Bulgarian language, NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ approved ‘Tales by the Hearth’, a project of the Association of Bulgarians in the Province of Tarragona in Spain.
The project uniting the Bulgarian language, literature and theatre, aims to encourage children aged 8 to 15 in the Sveti Sedmochislenitsi [The Seven Saints] Bulgarian Sunday School in Catalonia to actively study and use the language by gaining experience in the artistic interpretation of folk tales with the aid of the performing arts and Bulgarian folklore. This contributes to strengthening their communicative skills through the creative process of dramatisation and folklore dance. At the same time, it stimulates interest in Bulgarian folk culture, and creates an interactive educational environment that ensures not only learning, but also creativity.
During the implementation of the project, the children acted out the stories in Bulgarian, practised their speaking skills, and acquired new lexis. With the aid of the performing arts, they become acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of Bulgaria: classical Bulgarian dramaturgy, which preserves the language, humour and spirit of the Bulgarian National Revival. In addition to understanding and speaking the Bulgarian language, they also learned to compose in Bulgarian. The emphasis was on oral speech, artistic interpretation, and active communication.
Thanks to the Fund’s financial support, pupils became acquainted with Bulgarian folk tales. A script was prepared for a theatrical performance titled ‘Tales by the Hearth’, sets were made, and props and costumes were provided. A dictionary of unknown words, with linguistic exercises for children, was compiled. All materials on the project were recorded on flash drives for the purpose of its distribution and use for educational purposes.
The play was performed publicly twice before parents and the community.
The first performance was presented before representatives of the Bulgarian community in Rues. At the second showing, Consul Iliyan Valkov, representing the Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Barcelona, attended as a guest. The pupils demonstrated their knowledge and skills acquired, actively used the Bulgarian language, improved their pronunciation, and displayed their creative talent.
Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Bulgarian Sunday School in Catalonia thanked NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ for the financial support and declared that ‘“Tales by the Hearth” is becoming a bridge between Bulgarian children in Spain (autonomous community of Catalonia) and their roots. The inclusion of the local Bulgarian association, as well as the involvement of parents, has formed an enormous public support, which guarantees the continuation of the tradition after the termination of the funding.’
This project contributes to a closer relatedness of the school with Bulgaria, while also fulfilling the message of the Ministry of Education and Science that Bulgarian Sunday schools abroad remain connected to Bulgaria.