A network for culture discovery and the business of cultural tourism
The business and pleasure of culture discovery and cultural tourism.
The technology changes people. Faraway exotics are moving from the unknown to a click away. We discover cultures faster, we change them, we participate in their shaping and we create our own. How does the business of cultural tourism responds to technology? Are the geographies of travel expanding as a result of the social marketing? How is it that old-fashioned places now appear as “new and emerging” destinations?
This network is for people who want to know the answers of these questions. Or for the ones who already know where to find the responses.
Please join me in the search and discovery of new cultural realms.
This network is for people who want to know the answers of these questions. Or for the ones who already know where to find the responses.
Please join me in the search and discovery of new cultural realms.
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Normally as hidden treasures we understand something small, that was buried and hidden from invaders, thieves etc. In this case, the architectural and artistic treasure of the 600-year old mosque is hidden because of political reasons: the place i...
Blog Posts
A Hidden Treasure - The Old Mosque (Eski Djamia) in Stara Zagora
Normally as hidden treasures we understand something small, that was buried and hidden from invaders, thieves et… Continue Posted by Rossitza Ohridska-Olson on August 18, 2009 at 10:30am
The Story of the Mezek Thracian Tomb Boar
In 1902 , when Svilengrad and the village of Mezek were still under the domination of the Turkish Empire, Angel Chobana, a local treasure hunter, was digging next to the Mezek Thracian Tomb (then still an mound looking like from outside as a small hill) with the purpose of searchin… Continue
Posted by Rossitza Ohridska-Olson on June 21, 2009 at 3:00am — 1 Comment
Image of Russia abroad - how to fight the stereotypes?
A question by Elena Ustimova was posted in a Linkedin.com group about country branding:
How can the image of Russia abroad be improved?
Dear colleagues,
It is widely known that foreign tourists are sometimes afraid of visiting Russia. I think it is all because of the image that the mass media have created about the Russian Federation.
It is so offensive sometimes to hear such questions as:
1. Is it really so cold in Russia? (no, it's not, Russia is the biggest country in the world, thus ther… Continue
How can the image of Russia abroad be improved?
Dear colleagues,
It is widely known that foreign tourists are sometimes afraid of visiting Russia. I think it is all because of the image that the mass media have created about the Russian Federation.
It is so offensive sometimes to hear such questions as:
1. Is it really so cold in Russia? (no, it's not, Russia is the biggest country in the world, thus ther… Continue
Posted by Rossitza Ohridska-Olson on May 31, 2009 at 6:39pm
Country branding - an answer to a Linkedin.com thread
In general, you should be right about the similarity between country and, as you say, car branding. This is correct for the most known destinations of car brands. Meaning the consumer or the tourist already has a brand “emotion” imbedded in his mind. The brand was created years, even centuries ago and now can be only a question of money and time to make the purchase or enjoy it. That is valid for France (a culture brand), Mexico (cheap beaches, Indian culture), etc., as it is valid for Mercedes… Continue
Posted by Rossitza Ohridska-Olson on October 4, 2008 at 12:50pm
An anthropologist's report from Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Posted by Noel B. Salazar on May 27, 2006 at 4:00pm
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The Thracian Civilization Orphaned Again
He was the king of the Bulgarian archaeology and a slave of it. Trying to save the Thracian Civilization heritage, almost alone against all treasure hunters, against the bureaucracy of the government and the spiteful critiques of his jealous colleagues. He was one of the last remaining believers in the importance of the science of Thracology and the magnitude of the Thracian Orphism. Together with Prof. Alexander Fol, who passed away in 2006, and 2-3 surviving Thracologists, Dr. Kitov was one of the few left defending this great civilization against the intents of the Greek government to melt down the significance of the Thracians’ cultural heritage into a small contribution to Magna Graecia.
All Thracologists in Bulgaria can be fit in less than a 50 seats room – that includes archaeologists, who are specialized in the period, the Institute of Thracology (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences), and the ones from the Archaeological Institute of Bulgaria (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). For these handful of people, Dr. Kitov was the only one with private funding who didn’t totally depend on the miserable support of the Bulgarian government, neither from foreign government funds with their correspondingly attached political agendas.
Who will follow him and who will be next star of the Thracian archaeology? Nobody in the horizon yet. In the meantime, the treasure hunters will have a field day (textually) digging out cultural heritage from this great civilization and exporting it to richer countries. In the meantime, Bulgarian archaeologists paid by foreign governments will try to dismiss the importance of the Thracian Civilization (as they were trying during the communist times) in favor of Magna Graecia (Greek paid), Scythia (paid by Russia) or Anatolian cultures (paid by Turkey).
This way, a civilization surviving 3 millennia will be thrown into oblivion again for who knows how many years. And instead to admire its remnants in the Bulgarian museums, we will have to make the tour of Christies and Sotheby’s or Louvre, the Metropolitan and British Museums.
The Thracian civilization orphaned again today. We, the Bulgarians too – since we are the grandsons and granddaughters of this glorious people, the Thracians, known to the history since the down of times.
© Rossitza Ohridska-Olson
He was the king of the Bulgarian archaeology and a slave of it. Trying to save the Thracian Civilization heritage, almost alone against all treasure hunters, against the bureaucracy of the government and the spiteful critiques of his jealous colleagues. He was one of the last remaining believers in the importance of the science of Thracology and the magnitude of the Thracian Orphism. Together with Prof. Alexander Fol, who passed away in 2006, and 2-3 surviving Thracologists, Dr. Kitov was one of the few left defending this great civilization against the intents of the Greek government to melt down the significance of the Thracians’ cultural heritage into a small contribution to Magna Graecia.
All Thracologists in Bulgaria can be fit in less than a 50 seats room – that includes archaeologists, who are specialized in the period, the Institute of Thracology (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences), and the ones from the Archaeological Institute of Bulgaria (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). For these handful of people, Dr. Kitov was the only one with private funding who didn’t totally depend on the miserable support of the Bulgarian government, neither from foreign government funds with their correspondingly attached political agendas.
Who will follow him and who will be next star of the Thracian archaeology? Nobody in the horizon yet. In the meantime, the treasure hunters will have a field day (textually) digging out cultural heritage from this great civilization and exporting it to richer countries. In the meantime, Bulgarian archaeologists paid by foreign governments will try to dismiss the importance of the Thracian Civilization (as they were trying during the communist times) in favor of Magna Graecia (Greek paid), Scythia (paid by Russia) or Anatolian cultures (paid by Turkey).
This way, a civilization surviving 3 millennia will be thrown into oblivion again for who knows how many years. And instead to admire its remnants in the Bulgarian museums, we will have to make the tour of Christies and Sotheby’s or Louvre, the Metropolitan and British Museums.
The Thracian civilization orphaned again today. We, the Bulgarians too – since we are the grandsons and granddaughters of this glorious people, the Thracians, known to the history since the down of times.
© Rossitza Ohridska-Olson
One year sad anniversary from the death of Dr. Kitov
The Thracian Civilization without Dr. Kitov
Or In Memoriam – One Year Later
One year after the death of Dr. Geogri Kitov, the state of the Bulgarian archaeology is in many cases unchanged and in the same time, transformed. Here is the overview of these events:
What is the same?
The TEMP Expedition (Thracian Expedition for Burial Mounts Research), created and managed in the past by Dr. Kitov, continues to make sensational discoveries. In August 2009, a very rich burial mound with gold wreath and other precious objects were found near Sliven by Diana Dimitrova, the spouse of Dr. Kitov and his colleague in the Temp expedition. Under her management, the expedition continues to perform the best research in the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
Other archeological discoveries of great importance for the research of the Thracian Civilization were made by archeologists in Bulgaria. Dr. Gergana Kabakchieva discovered a unique stelae near Montana with inscriptions revealing vast amount of information about the customs and traditions of the Thracians. Dr. Diana Gergova discovered a spectacular sanctuary of the Thracians in the mountains near Velingrad - a site so big and interesting that is rivaling only Perperikon.
What is different?
The new Bulgarian government appointed an archaeologist and renowned fighter against the illicit trade of antiquities, Dr. Todor Chobanov, as Deputy Minister of Culture. With his help, and the newly changed Law for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bulgaria, the illicit digging and looting of Thracian archaeological sites will be way more difficult for the treasure hunters than it was before – a cause to which Dr. Kitov was totally dedicated.
Alexandrovo_MuseumInterior The Alexandrovo Tomb (UNESCO Tentative List), discovered by Dr. Georgi Kitov has a new museum and a copy. Thanks to the Bulgarian and Japanese governments, and Haskovo Municipality, another gem of the Thracian civilization is accessible to the public.
A spectacular selection of Thracian treasures from the Bojkov Collection was exhibited with enormous success in the Museum of the East, Moscow, Russia. In the same time, the exhibition of Thracian Gold from the Bulgarian museums, which was visiting Tokyo, Japan, came back to Bulgaria after a year of very successful showing in the country of the rising sun.
Many of these events wouldn’t be possible without Dr. Kitov’s passionate dedication to the Thracian civilization. That is why many of them were dedicated to his memory. Let’s join all organizations and individuals in remembering the achievements of this larger than life man and brilliant archaeologist.
Or In Memoriam – One Year Later
One year after the death of Dr. Geogri Kitov, the state of the Bulgarian archaeology is in many cases unchanged and in the same time, transformed. Here is the overview of these events:
What is the same?
The TEMP Expedition (Thracian Expedition for Burial Mounts Research), created and managed in the past by Dr. Kitov, continues to make sensational discoveries. In August 2009, a very rich burial mound with gold wreath and other precious objects were found near Sliven by Diana Dimitrova, the spouse of Dr. Kitov and his colleague in the Temp expedition. Under her management, the expedition continues to perform the best research in the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
Other archeological discoveries of great importance for the research of the Thracian Civilization were made by archeologists in Bulgaria. Dr. Gergana Kabakchieva discovered a unique stelae near Montana with inscriptions revealing vast amount of information about the customs and traditions of the Thracians. Dr. Diana Gergova discovered a spectacular sanctuary of the Thracians in the mountains near Velingrad - a site so big and interesting that is rivaling only Perperikon.
What is different?
The new Bulgarian government appointed an archaeologist and renowned fighter against the illicit trade of antiquities, Dr. Todor Chobanov, as Deputy Minister of Culture. With his help, and the newly changed Law for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bulgaria, the illicit digging and looting of Thracian archaeological sites will be way more difficult for the treasure hunters than it was before – a cause to which Dr. Kitov was totally dedicated.
Alexandrovo_MuseumInterior The Alexandrovo Tomb (UNESCO Tentative List), discovered by Dr. Georgi Kitov has a new museum and a copy. Thanks to the Bulgarian and Japanese governments, and Haskovo Municipality, another gem of the Thracian civilization is accessible to the public.
A spectacular selection of Thracian treasures from the Bojkov Collection was exhibited with enormous success in the Museum of the East, Moscow, Russia. In the same time, the exhibition of Thracian Gold from the Bulgarian museums, which was visiting Tokyo, Japan, came back to Bulgaria after a year of very successful showing in the country of the rising sun.
Many of these events wouldn’t be possible without Dr. Kitov’s passionate dedication to the Thracian civilization. That is why many of them were dedicated to his memory. Let’s join all organizations and individuals in remembering the achievements of this larger than life man and brilliant archaeologist.About
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