Balkan Heritage Foundation


The Balkan Heritage Foundation is a Bulgarian public, non-profit, non-governmental organization. It was established in 2008 by a team of a cross-institutional program implementing archaeological field schools since 2003. Its head office is located in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. The BHF has a representative office located in Sofia and four branches located in Varna, Mezek, Dragoman and Emona, Bulgaria.
The Balkan Heritage Foundation’s mission is to support the protection, conservation, management and promotion of cultural and historical heritage of South-eastern Europe as necessary preconditions for sustainable development of the region.
The foundation collaborates on both the local and global level with universities, museums, research institutes, media, business companies, governmental and non-governmental organizations. It raises funds and consequently funds projects implemented by research institutes and scientific teams, museums, municipalities and local communities. Since it was established, the foundation has been implementing and financially supporting the following programs, projects and activities:

Balkan Heritage Field School

The Balkan Heritage Field School is an archaeological field school annually providing a number of courses in archeology, anthropology and history of South-Eastern Europe, documentation, conservation and restoration of historic artifacts and monuments, taught in English and located within Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. The school admits both academic students and non-academic students. The BHFS, operating since 2003, was fully incorporated by the Balkan Heritage Foundation in 2008.

Activities

The BHFS courses are affiliated with ongoing excavation, practical and excursions plus behind-the-scene visits. The BHFS courses are listed among the academic courses of New Bulgarian University, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada; and UCLA Extension, enabling their participants to obtain credit hours upon request.

, Bulgaria.
The BHFS functions as a legal part of the Balkan Heritage Foundation, a Bulgarian public, non-profit, non-governmental organization. Since 2003 the BHFS has organized 85 courses in the field of archaeology, documentation of medieval frescoes and conservation of Ancient Greek and Roman pottery, mural paintings and mosaics. These courses have been attended by more than 1500 students from 55 countries.

The Program's head office is located in Sofia, Bulgaria. Costs of courses and study materials can be found by viewing the website. The BHFS admission fees support the Balkan Heritage Protection Fund.

Excavation projects funded

  1. Excavation of Tell Yunatsite, Bulgaria.
  2. Excavation of the Ancient Greek Emporion Pistiros, Bulgaria.
  3. Apollonia Pontica Excavation Project, Bulgaria - еxcavation of the multi-period site on the island of St. Kirik, Sozopol.
  4. Excavation of the Neolithic settlement Ilindentsi, Bulgaria.
  5. Stobi Excavation Project, Republic of Macedonia.
  6. Heraclea Lyncestis Excavation Project, Republic of Macedonia
  7. Djanavara Excavation Project, Bulgaria - excavation of the monumental Early Byzantine church and monastery on Djanavara hill in Varna.
  8. Augusta Traiana – Beroia – Borui Rescue Excavation Project in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

    Documentation, conservation and restoration projects funded

  9. Photo Research Expedition to Medieval Balkan Churches, Bulgaria.
  10. Workshop for Documentation, Conservation and Restoration of Ancient Greek and Hellenistic Pottery in Emona, Bulgaria.
  11. Workshop for Documentation, Conservation and Restoration of Roman and Late Roman Pottery, Glassware, Mural Paintings and Mosaics at Stobi, Macedonia.

    Volunteer and advocacy actions

In 2008-2009 four volunteer work camps supporting preservation of cultural heritage took place in Bitola, Stara Zagora, Dragoman and Mezek in cooperation with Stara Zagora Regional Museum of History, municipalities of Dragoman and Svilengrad and .