Bulgarian schools took part in a book reading initiative on the Day of European Authors

The first edition of the Day of European Authors is taking place on 27 March 2023. In more than 1,100 schools across Europe, writers and students will read extracts from favourite European books.

The Bulgarian writer Georgi Bardarov, who is among the most read authors of fiction in the country, and the European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, on whose initiative the day is celebrated, were in the 32nd school in Sofia.

The questions from the students were intriguing, provocative but also critical. And received answers that excite, inspire and contain messages. Georgi Bardarov has been writing since 1987, but his first text became known in 2013.

"I believe in them very strongly and I find a lot of positive traits in today's young generation and one negative trait, that they are very impatient, they want everything right now and if it doesn't happen – that is the end. That's why I wanted to tell them - I have waited 26 years, although in different times, but you have to have patience to achieve success," he said.

Success comes when you believe in yourself, Bardarov said.

"I often get stuck and it's very difficult when you get stuck and you don't have inspiration and when you don't know how to continue. What motivates me is that I have a cause and this cause always leads me forward", he added.

"I am glad that young people are looking for this contact and discussion with the author, because there is no one better to talk about a book than the one who wrote it, t," said Mariya Gabriel.