2025 marks the 110th anniversary of the death of Slovene linguist Anton Bezenšek (1854–1915), who was the first Bulgarian language stenographer and inventor of a shorthand system for recording Bulgarian speech; he worked in Bulgaria for most of his life. The ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ National Endowment Fund supports the National Association of Stenographers, Typists and Computer Operators (NASTCO), which keeps homage to Anton Bezenšek to this day.
As a linguist, journalist and shorthand expert, Anton Bezenšek was invited to Bulgaria at the time of preparation of the Tarnovo Constitution. He laid the foundations of the Bulgarian shorthand system and, becoming the first stenographer, he trained several generations of Bulgarian intellectuals in that system. For his contribution, he was awarded an order of merit by Tsar Ferdinand. As a sign of respect, a monument to Bezenšek was erected in Plovdiv.
On the occasion of the anniversary, a Slovenian delegation arrives in Bulgaria in November to visit Anton Bezenšek’s grave in Sofia and to pay tribute to their compatriot.
Over the years, NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ has interacted with NASTCO: the Fund manages property, which, according to the donor’s will, is provided for the benefit of the Association.