SmartBirds
On October 19, the town of Topolovgrad hosted the Imperial Eagle Festival, organized by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds and the Municipality of Topolovgrad. This year’s theme focused on the connection between the Eastern Imperial eagle and the livelihood of local communities, attracting over 3,000 visitors. The festival featured over 50 exhibitors from the Sakar, Eastern Rhodopes, and Strandzha regions.
default
The rich program included performances by folk dance and singing groups from the community centres in the Sakar region, celebrating local traditions. Visitors were also invited to join an excursion to the Thracian sanctuary of “Paleokastro”, where they could explore the area’s rich history and biodiversity.
Maria Zhekova, winner of MasterChef 2021, showcased recipes inspired by local traditions, such as chickpea stew, cheesecake with ahchak (type of cheese), and buffalo milk ice cream with saffron ans etc. Local producers and community centres offered traditional dishes, including kolatsi, drobsarma (liver casserole), and katmi (thick pancakes), preserving the culinary heritage of the Sakar region.
The BSPB organized an educational session on the Imperial eagle, offering visitors of all ages the chance to learn about the conservation of this majestic bird. Through fun and interactive games, children discovered the challenges faced by one of Bulgaria’s most remarkable eagles.
The festival emphasized on the importance of preserving nature and biodiversity while strengthening the bond between people, traditions, and the magic of the Sakar region’s natural beauty.
The Imperial Eagle Festival was organised as part of the “From the Iron curtain to the Green belt,” funded by the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) that is managed by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative – a collaboration between the Chancellor Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge of The Old Schools and leading internationally-focused biodiversity conservation organisations. The University and the ELSP are supported by Arcadia – a charitable fund of Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing
