Minister Dimitrov Participates in the Official Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews

The Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov participated in some of the official events marking the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. He participated in the opening of a documentary exhibition at the National Library ‘St. St. Cyril and Methodius’ and offered flowers at the memorial plaques of the saviours of the Bulgarian Jews next to ‘St. Sofia’ church during a wreath-laying ceremony.

The events dedicated to the anniversary were attended by President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova, Prime Minister Galab Donev and ministers from the caretaker cabinet, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, representatives of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, organizations of Bulgarian Jews, diplomats and citizens.

The exposition at the National Library ‘St. St. Cyril and Methodius’ displays photographs and valuable documents from its collection, manuscripts, old and rare books, as well as the awards posthumously given to King Boris III by international Jewish organizations. The guest of honour at the event was the famous historian and public figure in Israel Prof. Michael Bar-Zohar. He and his family were among the thousands of Bulgarian Jews rescued from Nazi death camps during World War II.

‘Bulgaria has been good to us, I love Bulgaria. It's good that in Bulgarian there are two words for Motherland — Rodina and Otechestvo. So we have them both, on both sides,’ the professor said in his moving words to the guests present at the National Library.