Especially thrilling for those who had the chance to know the frail, elegant but always enthusiastic and optimistic Maria Mateeva was the emotional speech of her daughter Maya Konstantinova. “Every book has a life of its own, but also contains the life of its author.” She shared with the audience moments from the life of Maria Mateeva. She described her as a Bulgarian woman, madly in love with her country, as a writer with undisputable talent for the documentary, as a person, a wife and a mother. Excitedly, she added: “I thank fate for having my mother next to me for so long. But I am deeply sorry that she couldn't be here tonight. Very often the artists cannot see the climax of their work, but what is important is that the book is already a fact.”

It is a fact also thanks to Peter Konstantinov, Maria Mateeva's son-in-law, who did the editing and updating. An enormous and very responsible part of the work on the book fell on his shoulders. But he said it was an honor and a pleasure. “If I may use a metaphor, the humble work of the editor is similar to the work of the restorer, who has to preserve the original, bringing to the fore its genuine value.” Peter Konstantinov spoke about the main parts of the book, about the obstacles during the editing process. “We found that Bulgarian historiography is still not unanimous as regards the names and dates of personalities and kings from the First and the Second Bulgarian realms. There are also some differences and incoherencies in the names of our politicians and ministers from the beginning of the 20th C. There were some problems with the checking of the names and mandates of about 3600 Bulgarian and foreign diplomats and politicians working in the country and abroad in the period 1978–2005. There were also some difficulties in tracing down the short CVs of the 770 heads of Bulgarian diplomatic representations in the last 125 years. Nevertheless, all efforts were made for a maximum correct searching, reflecting and dating of historical facts.”

Peter Konstantinov expressed his gratitude to the colleagues and friends who helped him in this uneasy work: to the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their support through the years and especially to those from the Chancellery and Archive and the State Protocol directorates, to Reference Information department of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, to the team of Bulgarian Bestseller Publishing House and Bulgarian Diplomatic Review magazine and especially to Mrs. Juliana Tomova. He thanked Minister Kalfin for honoring the event and prizing the work of Maria Mateeva, to Prof, Andrey Pantev for the original and intelligent presentation of this unique work which has no analog in Europe, and maybe in the world. “I thank everyone who value this Bulgarian diplomatic almanac, which reveals to the reader the dynamic and responsible role of Bulgarian diplomacy through the centuries.”

The atmosphere in the Ceremonial Hall of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia was really special. Maybe because the hall was full with people – politicians, diplomats, scholars – who have dedicated their efforts and energy, their work and talent to Bulgaria and its prosperity. This calls to mind the first page of the book, its dedication. Those simple words that say everything: “To Bulgaria that I love!”

Ms. Juliana Tomova with TV presenter Boiko Vassilev and Evgenia Atanasova	Dr. Peter Beron and Associate Professor Dr. Yordan Velichkov, Members of Parliament (R)

Rector of St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia University Prof. Boyan Biolchev and Mr. Peter Konstantinov	Conversing with Dr. Zdravko Popov, Director of the Diplomatic Institute with the FM

Ms. Juliana Tomova, Mr. Lothar Jaschke, Minister-Counsellor with the Austrian Embassy in Sofia and Metropolitan Neofit	Mr. Peter Konstantinov, Ms. Juliana Tomova, Ms. Mariana Evstatieva-Biolcheva, film director

Ms. Vasilka Shishkova, editor, Mr. Kostadin Vasilev, friend of the Mateevs and Ms. Maria Mateeva, granddaughter of the author of the book	Ms. Maria Konakchieva, press attache at the _French Cultural Institute, Ms. Alexenia Dimitrova, journalist and Prof. Boyan Biolchev