The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the National Funds of Republic of Greece and Republic of Bulgaria

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1 The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the National Funds of Republic of Greece and Republic of Bulgaria

2 Project region BULGARIA Nature Preserve Ali botush Gotse Delchev Ohiro Pletena SATOVCHA Valkosel Lefkogia KATO NEVROKOPI Dikchan Kochan CHECHA Region Slashten Vaklinovo Тuhovishte Godeshevo Dospat The project region includes the Mesta River valley on both sides of the border or the geographic area known as Chech - the left waterside of Mesta River. It is situated in the south-west part of the Rhodopes and the north part of Falacro Mountain. Chech includes about 60 villages from both sides of the boundary. According to Vasil Kanchov, famous researcher from the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th century, the Bulgarian part of Checha includes the villages from Satovcha Municipality and those in the east part of Garmen Municipality along the Dospat River and Bistritsa River. On the territory of Greece, Chech includes the villages near Potami, at the mouth of Dospat River and near Kato Nevrokopi. Perithori Volakas Kato Vrontu GREECE

3 Project partners Project philosophy Municipality of Satovcha has an area of 344 km 2. It comprises 14 villages with population about 19,050. The municipality has four high schools, each with over five hundred students, 4 secondary schools, 7 primary schools and 3 elementary schools, as well as 14 kindergartens. There are 8 community centres, which are in operation. A museum collection of the municipality has been opened. Municipality Kato Nevrokopi is located 42 km away from Drama. Its population is over Kato Nevrokopi is a small dynamic town where the basic means of living are agriculture and the sustainable tourism, based on the rich cultural heritage and preserved nature. More than ten cultural festivals and events, which attract the interest of the local population and many visitors, take place in the settlements of the municipality. Народно читалище Просвета 1937, село Плетена Community Centre Prosveta 1937, Pletena village is one of the eight operating community centres in Satovcha Municipality. During its long history the community centre has proven to be a centre, where the cultural traditions of the region are preserved and developed. It has its choral societies and dance groups, which every year take part at national and international festivals and competitions. The merit of this project is that it is connected with the fact that the local historians and students from the high schools were not just involved in the collection of information. They were the actual implementers of the whole project and the external experts in the face of teachers and students from the National High School for Ancient Languages and Culture were their consultants. This approach is more complex and requires more efforts and time. However we are convinced that this approach gives the real meaning of the efforts because the preservation and the communication of the cultural heritage is necessary most of all for the life of those who carry it in themselves. The main project goal is to create conditions so that the local people get to know and be proud of the cultural heritage in the cross-border region in the Mesta River valley and to contribute to its long term preservation. The Mesta River valley on both sides of the Bulgarian - Greek boundary has unique nature. And the people who live there are unique too - with their music and dances, with their traditions and their history.

4 Project activities Construction of the new building of the school at Pletena village, Municipality of Satovcha Equipment of the stage and the rehearsal halls of Community Centre Prosveta 1937 at Pletena village, Municipality of Satovcha. Supply of 75 new folklore costumes and 35 musical instruments for the groups from the community centre in Pletena village. Supply of 140 folklore costumes and 20 folklore instruments for the folklore groups from Kato Nevrokopi. Documenting the cultural heritage by carrying out expeditions for the students from the schools of the Municipality of Satovcha and schools from other regions of Bulgaria. Issuing collections with the collected materials in the field of the music, traditions, life, language and architecture. Establishment of Programmes for Crossborder Schools for Safeguarding the Cultural Heritage. Strengthening the Cross-border partnership and development of a plan for continuing the activities by the partners. Production and distribution of a multimedia product showing the main elements of the cultural heritage of the region and a popular book with the project results.

5 Concert in Dabrash place The programme included performances of 11 groups from community centres and schools from all settlements of Satovcha Municipality with over 300 participants. There were songs and dances; and then songs with dances. The mountain, the human and the song joined together into a glorious harmony of the life, the joy and the beauty. You watch, listen and all of a sudden you feel that you are a part of that magic. It already conquered you. You watch, feel happy and think over it. The mountain gives birth to a man, the man gives birth to a song, the song is the soul of the mountain. An endless circle, an indivisible and incomparable belonging. The green meadow, these fragrant flowers and the generous sun - there is no lovely scene like this. The sun also enjoyed all that beauty. Gergina Toncheva

6 Interviews and meetings with the people who keep the traditions Clothes Customs Festivities Games Local cuisine

7 Architecture The fountains in Checha Satovcha is a candidate for the Guinness Book for the largest number of stone fountains. The houses in the region The stone houses of Godeshevo The architecture from the times of the National revival in Dolen. Stone bridges Chech is full of transport corridors, Roman roads and of course the related bridges over the river. They represent also the earliest architecture of the water, which is preserved (rather as a spirit than as a real substance) within the territory. Really the building of solid stone bridges would not happen at a random place by self-taught masters without general (government) financing. In other words, the numerous bridges preserved on the territory, crossed by the old Roman roads, are either preserved from that time or built during the Ottoman Empire but lie on the piers of the earlier Roman structures. Architect Todor Mihaylov

8 Veda Slovena In acknowledgement of Boris Hristov, who systematized Veda Slovena in two volumes in I started compiling this issue by making the sign of a cross. Firstly, for forgiveness of the conscious and unintentional sin committed by our ancestors and by us, who consigned to oblivion such treasure as the epos Veda Slovena. Secondly, to ask help for the difficult work of its resurrection. Thirdly, for more common sense when finding the place of application of the cycle when the work is completed. The toponym Orphenskoto still exists in our region. An area between Osina village and Lyubcha village. The people of Satovcha still remember the name of the last singer of Veda songs - Ashika from Fargovo village, who had a saz with two telya (a big tambourine with two strings) and sang for hours songs who no one else knew. But please note that he sang them only when he was in taf (in a mood). Thus the master masons from Satovcha said when they came back from the Athos monasteries and dropped in the village to hear the songs of Ashika. The presentation of Veda Slovena in the museum collection of Satovcha is only a small part of the messages of B. Hristov and compliments to the work of Stefan Verkovich and Ivan Gologanov. It is important for our museum collection that the texts of the songs are from the villages Kochan, Zhizhevo, Farkovo, Kribul, Pletena, Dolno Dryanovo, Gorno Dryanovo, etc. Whether Veda Slovena is mystification or mystified, it is and will remain one of the greatest records of our folklore and culture. Kiril Karakolev

9 Meetings with partners in Kato Nevrokopi The traditions and the feasts in the region are also met in other municipalities of the Drama Prefecture; some of them are common for the population from the other side of the Bulgarian border. This proves that the cultural link between the local population in Greece and Bulgaria is very strong despite of the isolation during the Cold War. Since 2007 when Republic of Bulgaria joined the European Union and people may travel freely between the countries, this cultural link, which was broken for many years, now may be developed again. This is a change for the population of the region; the Greeks and the Bulgarians must let bygones be bygones and understand that they have much in common. The abolition of the borders ensured by the European Union may restore the natural balance that existed so many yeast and has created the unique cultural mosaic in this small region of Europe. Constantinos I. Karipis

10 The Satovcha team Arben Mimenov Mayor of Satovcha Municipality Kiril Karakolev Local Historian, Teacher of History in Satovcha village Antoaneta Bektasheva Secretary of the Community Centre Prosveta 1937, artistic manager of the folklore groups of the community centre, collector of authentic folklore Baadin Musov Local Historian, Teacher of History in Valkosel village Lilko Ayvazov Teacher of History in Satovcha village, musician, head of a folklore group Zoya Dolenska Historian from Pletena village Emilia Kastamanova economist, financial expert for the project Maria Samardzhieva collaborator at the municipality, issuer of the local newspaper Irina Boshnakova Historian of Pletena village Kamelia Georgieva Project Manager Lyubomir Mateev Producer of the Events and the Publications Konstantinos Karipis Greek Cultural Anthropologist Students from Satovcha municipality Adile Yahova student from Satovcha village Ailin Alendarova student from slashten village Gergana Boshnakova student from Dolen vilalge Zeinepa Topova student from Satovcha village Kamelia Kopanova student from Satovcha village Roumen Uzunov student from Kochan village Senada Karakiozova student from Slashten village Simona Yahova student from Kochan village Suzana Garova student from Satovcha village The team of the National School of Ancient Languages and Culture Gergina Toncheva founder of the high school and principal of the school from 1978 to Ivan Ivanov teacher of geography in the high school from 1978 to 2010 Daniel Ivanov former student of the school, teacher of music and director Lyuba Ilieva former student of the school, doctor of history, head of a folklore group Todor Mihailov doctor in architecture, assistant professor in restoration at the University for Architecture, construction and Geodesy Students from the National School of Ancient Languages and Culture Atanas Tonchev Georgi Georgiev Georgi Mitov Krasimira Shantova Maximilian Vrabkov Mihaela Boyadzhieva Radoslav Iliev Trendafil Krastanov Chaya Koleva Local Information Providers: Albena Poyukova Kochan village Antoaneta Boshnakova Pletena village Anton Iskrov Kochan village Asan Dzildzov Satovcha village Ema Yurukova Dolen village Zeinepa Hodzova and Vabi Hodzhov Pletena village Ivanka Kartalova Satovcha village Ilko Parushev - Satovcha village Ismail Ibishev Pletena village Rumen Bilyarov Vaklinovo village Russi Kadrev Pletena village Sergei Saitov Valkosel village Canko Parushev Satovcha village

11 Народно читалище Просвета 1937, село Плетена Municipality of Satovcha 37, Todor Shopov Str. Satovcha 2950 District of Blagoevgrad Bulgaria Tel.: 00359/ , Municipality Kato Nevrokopi 23, Agiou Dimitriou Str. Kato Nevrokopi District of Drama Greece Tel.: 0030/ , Prosveta 1937 Community centre Village of Pletena 2954 Municipality of Satovcha District of Blagoevgrad Bulgaria Tel.: 00359/