Diaspora Agency Head: 100 000 Bulgarians Live in Chicago

Rayna Mandzhukova (right), head of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, said Bulgaria intended to create a Bulgarian Cultural Center in Chicago. Photo by BGNES

About 100 000 Bulgarians live in Chicago, according to Rayna Mandzhukova, Director of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad.

Mandzhukova said Sunday at a news conference that various estimates put the number of Bulgarians immigrants in Chicago between 80 000 and 120 000.

She declared that the Bulgarian state must take better care of the Bulgarian community in Chicago saying Diaspora Minister, Bozhidar Dimitrov, had an idea to create a Bulgarian cultural center in the Windy City.

Lyudmila Dimitrova, Director of the Cultural Institute of the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said the potential of Bulgarian communities around the world must be used in order to improve the country’s international image.

She said that a festival of Bulgarian cinema was starting in New York City in mid December.

Yordan Detev, who is the Director of the international cultural heritage foundation “Prof. Peter Detev” reminded that Days of the Bulgarian Heritage had already been held in Chicago.