PRESENT STATE OF THE HISTORICAL DIASPORA OF CRIMEAN BULGARIANS: IDENTITY STRATEGIES AND CULTURAL INTEGRATION
Keywords:
Bulgarian diaspora, historical diaspora, contemporary diaspora Cyril and Methodius, tourismAbstract
The article discusses a topic that has not been explored in sufficient depth, but is relevant to the present day – the current state of the historical diaspora: to what extent the preservation of ethnic identity is achieved through traditional methods established over time, or, as in the case of the Crimean Bulgarians, the historical diaspora is transformed into a community that, conceptually, has the characteristics of a contemporary diaspora. It traces the historical path of the formation of the diaspora from the first decades of the 19th century to the second half of the 20th century – a period of political research on Bulgarians from the Crimean Peninsula. It also examines their new existence after 1990, linked to the amnesty granted and the opportunity for resettlement. In this respect, in a number of ways, the Crimean Bulgarian diaspora departs from traditional notions of the essence of historical diaspora, acquiring the characteristics of a new formation. In a number of respects, the Crimean Bulgarian diaspora departs from traditional notions of the essence of historical diaspora, acquiring characteristics of a new formation. Of interest is the institutionalized form of the Crimean Bulgarian community—the Regional Bulgarian National-Cultural Autonomy of the Republic of Crimea "Paisii Hilendarski." This is the official representation of the Crimean Bulgarians, which has been actively engaged in cultural activities for 30 years. Some of the association's activities related to the restoration of common topoi and mythological representations from the culture of Bulgaria, the Balkans (the Slavic-Orthodox community), and Crimea are examined. With an emphasis on the Khazar mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius, discussed as the foundation of cultural dialogue and cooperation between Europe and Crimea. In this regard, the study also notes the prospects of integrative strategies in tourism as a contemporary approach to supporting identification processes in the Crimean Bulgarian diaspora.
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