Comenius Project2011- 2014

Overcoming prejudices through Fairy Tales

KAZANLAK - BULGARIA

2013

Parteners

,,Constantin Brancoveanu’’ High School – Horezu, Romania

Rigas Juglas Vidusskolo – Riga, LetoniaAvicilar Lisesi – Istambul, TurciaProfesionala Gimnaziya ,,Ivan

Hadzhienov’’ – Kazanlak, Bulgaria

BulgariaBulgaria is a country in South Eastern Europe.It is bordered by Romania to the north,Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south and east is output Black SeaCapital: SofiaPrefix: 359Currency: LevPopulation: 7.305 millionOfficial language: BulgarianPolitical system: parliamentary republic Parliamentary System

•Geography

Bulgaria occupies a portion of the eastern Balkan peninsula, bordering five countries—Greece and Turkey to the south, Macedonia and Serbia to the west, and Romania to the north.

The southern edge of the Danubian Plain slopes upward into the foothills of the Balkans, while the Danube defines the border with Romania.

The Thracian Plain is roughly triangular, beginning southeast of Sofia and broadening as it reaches the Black Sea coast.

The Balkan mountains run laterally through the middle of the country. The mountainous southwest of the country has two alpine ranges—Rila and Pirin, which border the lower but more extensive Rhodope Mountains to the east.

Bulgaria is home to the highest point of the Balkan peninsula, Musala, at 2,925 metres (9,596 ft) and its lowest point is sea level.

Plains occupy about one-third of the territory, while plateaus and hills occupy 41 per cent.

The country has a dense network, about 540 rivers, most of which are relatively small and with low water levels. The longest river located solely in Bulgarian territory, the Iskar, has a length of 368 kilometers.

HistoryAppearance Bulgarian people and state dates back to the First Bulgarian Empire, which dominated much of the Balkans and functioned as the cultural center of Slavic peoples in the Middle Ages.The Cyrillic alphabet became the basis for further cultural development. Centuries later, this alphabet, along with Old Bulgarian language, intellectual stimulated written language (lingua franca) for Eastern Europe, known as Church Slavonic.

In 1946, it became a communist state until 1989, when the Bulgarian Communist Party allowed free elections. After 1990, Bulgaria became a democracy and a market economy. Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and a member of the EU in 2007.

•Traditions

The Anastenaria (Bulgarian Нестинарство) is a traditional fire-walking ritual performed in some villages in Northern Greece and Southern Bulgaria. The communities which celebrate this ritual are descended from refugees who entered Greece from Eastern Thrace.

Granny March (Bulgarian: Баба Марта,) is the name of a mythical figure who brings with her the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the spring. Bulgarians celebrate on March 1 a centuries-old tradition and exchange martenitsi on what is called the day of Baba Marta. The tradition of giving friends red-and-white interwoven strings brings health and happiness during the year and is a reminder that spring is near.

Dodola - According to some interpretations, she is the Slavic goddess of rain, and the wife of the supreme god Perun (who is the god of thunder). Slavs believed that when Dodola milks her heavenly cows, the clouds, it rains on earth. Each spring Dodola is said to fly over woods and fields, and spread vernal greenery, decorating the trees with blossoms.

Koledovanie (Welsh Calennig, Bulgarian: Коледуване) is a term that refers to the slavic Christmas caroling in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia.

The carolers traditionally start their rounds at midnight on Christmas Eve. They visit the houses of their relatives, neighbours and other people in the village. The caroling is usually performed by young men, which are accompanied by an elder one called stanenik. Each caroler carries a stick called gega. They wish the people from the village health, wealth and happiness.

Paparuda is a Romanian and Bulgarian rain ritual, probably of pagan origin, performed in the spring and in times of severe drought.

A girl, wearing a skirt made of fresh green knitted vines and small branches, sings and dances through the streets of the village, stopping at every house, where the hosts pour water on her. She is accompanied by the people of the village who dance and shout on the music. The custom has attributed a specific type of dance and a specific melody.

Flower's Day, also called Vrubnitsa, or "Willow Day", is one of Bulgaria's most celebrated holidays. The holiday takes place on the Sunday before Easter Sunday to commemorate Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem through a crowd waving palm branches. Bulgarians also celebrate this holiday to welcome spring and close the cycle of adolescent girls’ vernal rites.

•Stereotypes

Stereotypes are "fixed idea that people have about what is someone or something, especially something wrong."

Stop stereotypes and prejudices about Bulgarians!

In Romania don’t exist many stereotypes and prejudices about Bulgarian people.

Bulgarians are known as "kings green stuff” because they are good farmers .

They eat corn and have big gardens with vegetables.

It should be recognized professionalism in tourism, agro-tourism.

Age stereotypes

1. Bulgarian teenagers love rock and do not respect all the time the elders.

2. Young people are seen by the elderly unable to get a job.

3. The elderly are considered by teenagers boring.

4. All teenagers are rebels.

Gender stereotypes

1. Bulgarian women drive worse and and the same in Romania.

2. Woman is more emotional and sensitive.

3. Man wear blue and women wear pink.

4. Woman sitting at home on maternity leave and the husband is the one who works and support the family.

5. Men are strong and do all the work.

6. Men are the "backbone."

7. Women aren't as smart as a man.

8. Women can’t do as good at a job as a man.

9. Girls are not good at sports.

10. Guys are messy and unclean.

11. Men who spend too much time on the computer or read are geeks.

•Prejudices Prejudice is an irrational feeling of fear and

inconvenience, excessive and improper attitude towards a person or thing.

,,It is easier to disintegrate an atom than a prejudice.’’

Albert Einstein

Prejudices about BulgariansAfter joining the EU, it happens that

when you say Bulgarians, to understand the often "guest workers" or "illegal immigrants". It is the image that the media, especially the British, they built it, item by item, fresh European citizens.

For foreign journalists, Bulgaria is the country widespread corruption or bad planes.

Romanians and Bulgarians• The access to the European Union on 1 January

2007 helped the Romanian and Bulgarian borders separated long communist and prejudices, to discover each other and remain pleasantly surprised. Before joining the EU, Bulgarians and Romanians were completely indifferent and ignorant of each other and they have a common border, the-along the Danube.

• Each person has their own "baggage" of stereotypes. "Most times do not see first and then define, we define first and then see it.

• Each of us have certain labels or stereotypes at a dat.Ele can prevent us from seeing reality as it is.