The exhibition is organised in partnership with the Slovak National Library and the National Library of Serbia to present the diversity of the documentary cultural heritage of the three countries included in the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
The initiative aims to support the development and cooperation of the memory institutions – guardians of the national and world memory, in their work to advance the cause of Europe’s national libraries through identifying, keeping, preserving and sharing the documentary cultural heritage within and beyond their national borders.
The exhibition, designed in eleven panels with photographs and texts showcases medieval literary works, church books, illuminated manuscripts, telegrams, maps, scientific and patent documentation, photographs, etc. attesting to the rich documentary heritage of the three nations, formed through the centuries by political, cultural and religious influences from neighbouring countries, as well as from across Europe.
The joint exhibition “Heritage and Memory beyond Borders” will be opened in the Central Foyer of the National Library of Bulgaria on 17 September 2025 at 11:00 am.
The National Library of Bulgaria presents its three documents in the World Register of Written Monuments – UNESCO’s Memory of the World. Enina Apostle from the end of the X century to the beginning of the XI century, a fragment of one of the oldest Cyrillic Apostle. In addition to this early type of Cyrillic script, several Glagolitic initials have been preserved in the text of the manuscript, indicating its connection with the earliest Glagolitic tradition. The Boril’s Synodicon from the end of the XIV century is the most significant document testifying about the anti-Bogomil Synod, convened by King Boril in 1211 and the late XVI century copy of Masnavi–yi ma‘navi (Spiritual Couplets) by the renowned poet, mysticist, philosopher, scholar, and theologian Jalāl ad-Dīn Rūmī Mawlana – a joint nomination with another five countries.
The Slovak National Library presents the country’s national documentary treasures, inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. The Illuminated Codices from the Library of the Bratislava Chapter House – a collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts from XV century; Safvet-beg Bašagić’s Collection – a noteworthy compilation of Islamic and Oriental manuscripts and books from XII to XX century and Mining Maps and Plans of the Main Chamber – Count Office in Banská Štiavnica – a vast set of approximately 20,000 documents from the period XVII to XX century, including mining maps, technical building plans, reservoirs, dams, water channels, technical devices, site layouts, and cadastral maps.
The National Library of Serbia presents three significant collections included in the Memory of the World Register of UNESCO. The Nikola Tesla Archives brought from New York after Tesla’s death in 1943, comprises of 160,000 pages and over 1,000 original photographs. An interesting document is the Diploma of the honourary doctorate of 22 May 1939 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of founding of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The Miroslav’s Gospel is the oldest preserved Serbian Cyrillic manuscript and a jewel of Serbian‑Slavic literacy, created in a unique style under mixed Byzantine and Italian influences in XII century and the Telegram of Austria-Hungary’s Declaration of War on Serbia from 28 July 1914.
The exhibition is developed within the project “Heritage and Memory beyond Borders”, implemented with the support of the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL) through the Erland Kolding Nielsen Grant 2025.