On 27 May 2026, the international exhibition Heritage and Memory Without Borders was officially opened in the Baroque Courtyard of the University Library in Bratislava. Jointly created by the National Libraries of Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Serbia, the exhibition showcases the rich diversity of the documentary cultural heritage of the three partner countries inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
The opening ceremony was held by invitation of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava and under the patronage of H.E. Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Slovak Republic. Representatives of the National Library of Bulgaria “Sts. Cyril and Methodius” and the Slovak National Library participated in the event.
Among the distinguished guests were Mrs. Viktoria Melamed, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Slovak Republic, and Mr. Nenad Adjemović, representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the Slovak Republic.
The event was opened by Mrs. Silvia Stasselova, Director General of the University Library in Bratislava, who highlighted the importance of international cooperation in safeguarding documentary heritage. On the day of the opening, visitors were given a unique opportunity to view a selection of valuable Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Turkish manuscripts from the renowned Bašagić Collection, preserved at the University Library in Bratislava. Mrs. Klára Meszárosová, Head of the Manuscripts, Old and Rare Books Department in UKB, delivered an engaging presentation on the history, significance, and exceptional value of these remarkable documents.
Welcoming the guests, Mrs. Denitsa Sekulichka-Ruseva, Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava, emphasized the vital role of international cultural dialogue and exchange. She then invited experts from each of the partner institutions to present highlights of their national documentary heritage featured in the exhibition.
The exhibition on display, during the month of May dedicated to the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius, successfully illustrates the shared cultural heritage – shaped over centuries by political, cultural, and religious interactions among neighbouring countries and across Europe. The event is part of a wider framework of international initiatives associated with the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius, of which both the National Library of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava are members.
The exhibition is open to the public in the Baroque Courtyard of the University Library in Bratislava and can be visited until June 16th, 2026.
The exhibition is designed and developed within the project “Heritage and Memory beyond Borders” supported by the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL) through the “Erland Kolding Nielsen” Grant.