On April 8, 2025, a public lecture-discussion on the topic “Slovenian Culture Through My Eyes: A Personal Perspective on Cultural Diplomacy” was held in the Ivan Geshov Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It is part of the series of events dedicated to cultural diplomacy in Bulgaria and the Balkans, organized by the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) in partnership with the State Institute for Culture to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria (DKI). The initiative is implemented as part of the Project “Cultural diplomacy in the Balkans in the 20th and 21st centuries: Achievements, challenges, and the way forward”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The public lecture-discussion was opened by the Project Manager, Assist. Prof. Dr. Alexandra Milanova, Scientific Coordinator of the IBSCT-BAS. The Director of DKI Ms. Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova welcomed the attendees and highlighted the fruitful cooperation between the institute she leads and the Slovenian Embassy. She drew special attention to the Bulgarian-Slovenian exhibition "Bridges" presented in 2022 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Slovenia.

Special guest and lecturer was H.E. Nataša Bergelj, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Bulgaria. She talked about the role of the Slovenian language and literature in the country's foreign policy, presented the most important cultural events held in Bulgaria since the beginning of her mandate, and emphasized the importance of the European Capital of Culture in 2025, which for the first time unites cities in two countries - Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and Gorizia (Italy).

Ambassador Bergel's presentation sparked a lively discussion, in which journalists, scholars, university professors, doctoral candidates, and students participated.