Migration

oil/canvas 70/60 cm. Forced assimilation in 1984-1989 of Muslims born in Bulgaria. In 1984, the ludicrous ‘Assimilation’ process took place. The forced renaming of largest ethnic minority in Bulgaria – the moslems including renaming even memorial plaques to the dead, a ban on visiting religious temples, celebrating our Muslim traditions and rites, a ban on speaking our mother tongue, a ban on buying food, a ban on visiting schools, universities, and official activities; and the expulsion of the muslims living and born in Bulgaria who opposed the Assimilation process, which has the name: Great Excursion, an euphemism for other countries, which shoked my youthful consciousness in those times and inspired me to write a book on suffering and injustice of muslims, which made us stronger in preserving our faith, our language, our religion, our values. I empathize to people who have to put their lives and homes in a suitcase and must continue their lives on unknown horizons…