Balkan Heritage Foundation
Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF), Bulgaria is a non-profit cultural organization with a mission to support the study, protection, management and utilization of cultural heritage in SE Europe and adjacent regions.

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MOSAIC TOUR IN PLOVDIV
Follow the mosaic tour created by the Balkan Heritage Foundation on the newly designed website.

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BEMA Online Seminars
Follow our series of online lectures in archaeology, anthropology, heritage conservation and management centered on the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.

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MA Program in Balkan & Eastern Mediterraean Archaeology
Check out our online master’s program in partnership with New Bulgarian University.

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Balkan Heritage Field School
Enrollment for the BHFS Season 2023 is now open!

All students enrolled in Season 2020, postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, will receive a notification by email with further instructions how to re-enroll.

See our programs here!
PRESERVING THE ALEXANDROVO TOMB
Balkan Heritage Foundation in collaboration with National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Science, Haskovo Regional Museum of History and Sofia University’s Faculty of History launched a program for study, preservation and communication of the frescoed Thracian tomb at risk.

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Balkan Heritage Foundation, established in 2008

Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF), Bulgaria is a non-profit cultural organization operating in the area of cultural heritage research, preservation, communication, management and education. Since its establishment in 2008 the Foundation has been active in Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

In all of BHF’s work we seek to apply excellence and innovation, to build understanding and appreciation as well as to develop community-driven partnership, and inclusive collaborations. The BHF serves: local communities, international scholars and heritage specialists & keepers, students and connoisseurs from around the globe.

Programs

Our Heritage

Through the “Our Heritage” Program the Foundation conducts or supports projects in the field of archaeology, conservation and restoration of cultural properties, digital heritage as well as cultural heritage management and communication.

ADVOCACY & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Campaigns for raising public awareness, development of policies, strategies and plans for preservation of cultural heritage, community service activities & camps and volunteer exchanges – they all fall under the “Advocacy & Community Service” Program.

Education

The oldest program of the Foundation is “Education” covering trainings and field schools in archaeology and heritage conservation, a master’s program in Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology, and Fulbright exchange for students and researchers.

Meetings & Events

Within the “Meetings & Events” Program of the Foundation are organized and implemented exhibitions, conferences, online seminars, public lectures and other events to communicate and promote the Balkan cultural heritage, to disseminate knowledge about it and to back up the Foundation’s cultural policies.

News

Lecture by Dr. Nikolas Sarris: “North Iraq: Salvage and Conservation of Manuscripts in Times of Peril”

This presentation discusses the mission for salvage and conservation of manuscripts from North Iraq, endangered by the war conflict with the Islamic State and the devasting results of vandalism on Christian monasteries and churches.

News

Next Step on the project “New Heritage”

100 monuments of monumental facade art (sgraffito, mosaic, ceramoplasty, metaloplasty, etc.) created after 1960 in Burgas, Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv and Sofia were surveyed by specialists from the team of the BHF. The activity is part of the implementation of the project: “New Heritage: approaches to conservation and dissemination of contemporary monumental facade art in Bulgaria", funded by the National Culture Fund.

Architecture of Power or the Power of Architecture – the Late Bronze Age Fortified Settlement of Bresto, Bulgaria

In the BEMA Online Seminar on March 30, 2023 Dr. Phillip W. Stockhammer (Professor of prehistoric archaeology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University) and Bogdan Athanassov (Assistant prof. in Archaeology at New Bulgarian University), will present: "Architecture of Power or the Power of Architecture – the Late Bronze Age Fortified Settlement of Bresto, Bulgaria"

News, Trainings

International Training Seminar on the Preparation of Master Conservation Plans

In September 2023, the Kazanlak Municipality will host an international training seminar on preparing master conservation plans. This project was proposed by the Balkan Heritage Foundation and agreed upon at a meeting on February 22nd in the Municipality by the Mayor of Kazanlak, Mrs. Galina Stoyanova, and representatives of BHF. UNESCO has generously agreed to fund the project.