The American Research Center in Sofia Celebrated in Washington DC and New York City

During the 2014-15 academic year, the American Research Center in Sofia (ARCS) celebrates its 10th anniversary. In order to begin the celebration, the Center organized important events in New York City and Washington, DC.

On May 1 at the Lotos Club in NYC, the Center gathered sponsors and friends for a luncheon. During the gathering, Dr. Robert Ousterhout, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, delivered a lecture, From Byzantium to Bulgaria: An Architectural Quest, in which he illustrated the historical, architectural, and cultural variety of Bulgarian and Balkan heritage. Prof. Ousterhout pointed out how significant the role of the American Research Center in Sofia is for the preservation and promotion of this heritage. The presentation was followed by a spirited discussion on the topic of the Bulgarian historical past, present and future, and on the contribution of organizations such as ARCS for keeping the historical debate open and for encouraging cooperation with Western researchers.

On the following day, May 2, the ARCS Board members had dinner the Oval Room Restaurant in Washington, DC, and celebrated their hard and productive work over the past 10 years for the success of the organization.

On May 3, the Board of Trustees of ARCS convened at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in DC, where they discussed past performance, strategies, and plans for the development of the Center. A guest speaker, Marian Stern, who works in New York as a fundraising specialist, led a workshop for the ARCS Trustees on how to raise funds for the organization successfully and efficiently.

After the productive day-long meeting, a special ARCS reception and dinner were held at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel, attended by over 30 guests. Among the guests were the Board members of ARCS, the Bulgarian, Albanian and Macedonian Ambassadors to the United States, ARCS sponsors and many new friends of the Center. Everyone was welcomed by Dr. Sharon Stocker, Chairwoman of ARCS and Dr. Eric De Sena, Director of the Center. De Sena later delivered a lecture, Constantine in the Imperial Palace at Serdica.

The Board of Trustees of the American Research Center in Sofia would like to thank everyone who attended the events in New York and Washington on the occasion of the Center’s anniversary. They extend their gratitude to the sponsors and friends of ARCS who made possible the existence and the success of the American Research Center in Sofia, to date. The festivities of the 10^th anniversary of ARCS will continue with other activities and events during the 2014-15 academic year. Events will highlight the Center’s achievements in supporting Balkan-American ties in scholarly research and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Balkans.