Bulgarians' Educational and Friendly Society

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (21:52): I move:

That this council—

1. Congratulates the Bulgarians’ Educational and Friendly Society (BEFS) on reaching its remarkable 75th anniversary in September 2024;

2. Recognises that BEFS has been the hub of the Bulgarian community in Adelaide since the organisation was established in 1949, promoting and preserving Bulgarian cultural heritage and providing a sense of belonging and fellowship for its members;

3. Notes that the Bulgarian community has an enduring historical connection with Fulham Gardens, Seaton, Henley Beach, Grange, and surrounding areas, with many Bulgarian migrants having settled and established market gardens in the area and later building the Bulgarian Club Hall on Tapleys Hill Road by hand;

4. Acknowledges the outstanding contributions of founding members, community leaders, current and past presidents, committee members, volunteers and supporters for their dedicated service to the Bulgarian community for more than seven decades;

5. Commends BEFS for enriching our multicultural society through a range of programs and services such as the St Petka Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Ethnic Radio Program, the Bulgarian Ethnic School, the Kitka dance group, and through hosting annual cultural celebrations such as the 'Zdravei' Festival; and

6. Reflects on the many achievements and legacy of BEFS over the past 75 years and wishes the society and members of the Bulgarian community every success in the years ahead.

It is a great honour to move this motion to congratulate the Bulgarians' Educational and Friendly Society on reaching the remarkable milestone of its 75^th anniversary in 2024. The Bulgarians' Educational and Friendly Society, also fondly known as BEFS, has served as a hub to promote and preserve Bulgarian culture, heritage, language, faith and traditions since the organisation was established in 1949.

As the society's name suggests, its core foundation is to provide educational support and a sense of belonging and fellowship for its members since its very beginning. I would like to, firstly, extend very warm and heartfelt congratulations to the current and past presidents, committee members, volunteers and supporters on this milestone 75^th anniversary. It is only through the dedicated service and outstanding contributions of community leaders and volunteers that organisations such as BEFS can uphold the legacy of their founding members and continue to serve and enrich the community for more than seven decades.

There is a Bulgarian proverb which says 'Kyoto se uchi, toy shte spoluchi'. Literally, it means 'A person who learns will succeed', and it is probably equivalent to the English proverb, 'Knowledge is power and power is success'. They believe that if you want to be successful, then learn, learn and learn. The more knowledge you gain, the more confidence you will have while meeting different challenges in your work.

There is no doubt that each successive management committee of BEFS has learned and built on the knowledge from one decade to another to sustain the great work the society has set out to do. I would particularly like to acknowledge and thank the current president, Mr Ian Stefanoff. He celebrated his 50^th birthday recently—in terms of special birthdays celebrated today, we have a birthday boy sitting in the President's chair right now—and we wish him many happy returns. I want to thank Ian for his passion, dedication and excellent leadership working alongside community-minded management committee members, including vice president Mimi Francesca, treasurer Iggy Vasileff, secretary Nicholas Charles and committee members Velma Bennett, Joan Stefanoff, Allan Trifonoff, Michael Georgeff, Chris Elieff, Steven Gencheff, Krasimir Glogovski, Jenna Trifonoff-Lloyd and Nathan Lazaroff.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ian and the BEFS team over the years. They have always made me and other guests feel very special every time we have had the opportunity to attend their events. Founders and presidents of BEFS are the foundation rocks and it is my privilege to acknowledge their long-term contributions to the society. Immediate past president Mr Ian Nenov held the role of president from 2007 to 2021. Mr John Bennett was president from 2000 to 2007 and was the society's longest serving president. Mr Sava Savoff served for almost 30 years, from 1973 to 2000. Mr Savoff deservedly received the Order of Australia Medal in the Australia Day Honours in 2002 for his longstanding service to the Bulgarian community of South Australia.

While the Bulgarian community in South Australia is relatively small, they have a long and proud history in our state. The first few Bulgarians arrived in the early 1900s, first working as itinerant labourers in orchards and then purchasing cheap swampy land in Fulham, where they used traditional Bulgarian horticultural skills to drain the land and establish the first market garden in the area in 1912. In 1928, a larger group of Bulgarian immigrants arrived in South Australia intending to earn money for two to three years before returning home; however, the Great Depression prevented most from returning to Bulgaria, and many ended up purchasing land around Fulham Gardens, Seaton, Henley Beach, Grange and surrounding areas to set up market gardens.

With Bulgaria being aligned with the Axis powers during the Second World War, Bulgarian migrants in Australia were threatened with being held in internment camps. Thankfully, growing vegetables on their market gardens was seen as a valuable resource for the war effort that saved many migrants from being interned. In the aftermath of the war, a third wave of Bulgarian migrants came to call South Australia home, and the need for a permanent meeting place and official body to support the growing Bulgarian community led to the establishment of the Bulgarians' Educational and Friendly Society in 1949. Construction of a community hall on Tapleys Hill Road began in 1952, with community members donating their time and skills to build the Bulgarian Club hall by hand.

By 1961, there were 458 Bulgarian-born South Australians, and during the 1960s they created a second tomato-growing settlement in Adelaide's north. The Bulgarian community contributed significantly to the establishment of Virginia as a major centre of market gardening, which it remains to this day. The heart of the community remained in the Fulham Gardens area, though, with the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church of St Petka built directly behind the club hall and opening in 1973. The church continues to hold weekly services in both Bulgarian and English and helps preserve the unique religious heritage of the community.

The Bulgarian ethnic radio program has been broadcast on 5EBI ethnic radio once a week since 1977 and remains an important way to highlight and promote Bulgarian language and culture over the airwaves to keep the community connected and informed. From the very beginning, the founding members placed a strong emphasis on passing on their heritage and language to the next generations. The Bulgarian Ethnic School has been operating for more than 50 years and continues to be an integral part of the community, enriching the education and lives of its members, children and grandchildren. It is remarkable, after seven decades, for a small community to have such an active organisation that continues to meet regularly and hosts fantastic events such as the Feast Day of St Petka, Bulgarian Alphabet and Cultural Day, and monthly themed dinners.

More than that, the society has increased its community events, hosting the inaugural Zdravei Bulgarian Festival in February 2018. The Zdravei Festival has since become a major event on the multicultural calendar, being one of the first major multicultural events to return after the COVID-19 restrictions. The Zdravei Festival is a wonderful celebration of Bulgaria's rich culture and proudly showcases the incredible talents of the traditional Kitka dance group. It is an opportunity for the wider community to share in the unique traditions, music, food, crafts and performing arts of Bulgaria, and there are always a number of other talented multicultural groups performing on the day, making it a truly joyful intercultural occasion.

It has been a privilege to get to know the community so well over the years in my role in multicultural affairs. It was a true honour to attend the society's 75^th anniversary celebration on 8 September 2024. I was joined by my colleague Matt Cowdrey, the member for Colton, who is the local member, and many community leaders and special guests to recognise the incredible achievements and outstanding contributions of BEFS over more than seven decades. The ballroom at the Bulgarian Club had never looked better, decked out in red, green and white balloons to honour the Bulgarian heritage, and of course it is the flag's colour. I also fondly remember attending the 70^th anniversary luncheon with the member for Colton, where I was delighted to join the Kitka dancers and the children from the Bulgarian Ethnic School as they taught me some traditional Bulgarian dance moves.

As we today reflect on the history and legacy of the Bulgarian's Educational and Friendly Society, we are reminded of the power of community and the fellowship that we share with one another, and how important it is that individuals can come together to share in the traditions, language and faith of their culture. From building the community hall brick by brick to launching an annual festival to engage with the wider South Australian community, it is remarkable what strong leadership, vision, determination and community spirit can achieve.

It is a great honour today to move this motion to recognise the legacy of BEFS over the past 75 years and to wish the society and members of the Bulgarian community every success in the years ahead. With those words, I wholeheartedly commend the motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.