The Regional History Museum – Sliven participated as a partner in the implementation of the “Integrated Project for the Development of Tourism and Improvement of Cultural and Historical Infrastructure in Sliven Municipality” under procedure BG16RFOP001-6.002 “Development of Tourist Attractions.”
Completed in 2024, the project focused on the restoration, enhancement, and socialization of immovable cultural heritage sites of national significance, including the First State Textile Factory in the Balkans and the house museums “Hadzhi Dimitar,” “Dobri Chintulov,” and “Popular Customs in Sliven.” All four sites are linked to the history of Sliven and our shared heritage, and they are legally protected as monuments of national importance. All project activities were coordinated with the Ministry of Culture and the National Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.
The overall goal of the investment project was:
“To develop and market a comprehensive, integrated, and sustainable tourist product for Sliven Municipality, with significant tourism potential, attracting a large number of visitors, ensuring financial sustainability, and preserving and promoting cultural heritage.”
The project “Sliven Heritage – Captivating and Multifaceted”, implemented under Program PA14 “Cultural Entrepreneurship, Heritage, and Cooperation”, was carried out in partnership with the Regional History Museum – Sliven between 2022 and 2024. It was financed through the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014–2021.
The main activities focused on preserving and promoting Sliven’s cultural heritage through the renovation and revitalization of spaces in the Regional History Museum “Dr. Simeon Tabakov,” the Dimitar Dobrovich Art Gallery, and the Sliven Hall. The project included cultural entrepreneurship training for managerial and expert staff from cultural institutions, as well as the development of an entrepreneurial plan to attract visitors.
TDuring its implementation, the project hosted numerous events, exhibitions, book presentations, and the production of catalogs, highlighting the cultural life of the different ethnic communities residing in the municipality, including Bulgarians, Karakachans, Armenians, Turks, Roma, Jews, and Russians.
Thanks to the financial support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation – Bulgaria, the Regional History Museum – Sliven, in collaboration with historian Marian Gyourski, was able to produce a trilingual publication commemorating the 70th anniversary of the suppression of the first mass armed uprising against communism in Bulgaria and Europe, which took place in the Sliven region in early June 1951.
Despite its tragic outcome, the revolt expressed the longing of many awakened Bulgarians to restore freedom in all its forms and manifestations. Fully aware that their actions were doomed to fail, the Goryani stood against a perfectly organized system capable of crushing any act of defiance. Their selflessness, which inevitably impacted the lives and futures of their loved ones, should not remain hidden, regardless of the replacement of one political regime with another.
Each year, the Ministry of Culture provides project-based funding to support the exploration of archaeological sites in the Sliven region, as well as the regular archaeological research activities at the Late Antique and Medieval fortress of Tuida.
In addition to these initiatives, the Regional History Museum – Sliven has successfully received funding for several projects aimed at producing museum educational materials—including workbooks, puzzles, memory cards, and other resources. These materials are designed to complement school curricula as well as the artifacts preserved at the museum’s sites.