The International Forum “Bratsigovo – The Stone Stream of Time” is a large-scale event dedicated to immovable cultural heritage, traditions, architecture, archaeology and the arts. It began in 2021, on the initiative of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria, Regional College Sofia Region, and the Municipality of Bratsigovo. That year also saw a competition for an architectural and artistic element for the urban environment, which was won by Atanas Chakarov and completed by him in under a year. It was unveiled for the town of Bratsigovo’s holiday in 2022, with the financial support of CAB RC Sofia Region and the company “Skala Marble and Rhyolite”. The name of this work, which has become a significant new element of the urban environment, is “The Power of the Human Spirit” – that which can pass through stone and leave light behind. The town of Bratsigovo was chosen as the centre of the forum because of its connection with the renowned school of the Bratsigovo master builders, and it is directly linked to the concept of creating an International Educational Centre for Architectural and Construction Restoration in the buildings of the town’s former construction technical school, developing with the full support of the Municipality of Bratsigovo.

In the forum’s second edition in 2022, the Bulgarian Construction Chamber joined the organisers, which contributed to the large-scale growth of the event. From the third edition in 2023, the partnership with Italy was formalised with the signing of a memorandum by Confindustria Bulgaria, and the forum became international, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria. Official support is also received from the Embassy of Italy in Bulgaria and the Italian Cultural Institute.