January 18th, 2023 - posted in News and Events.
Just prior to the second meeting this year on 18th of January, the board members of our club had gathered to make important decisions. When the meeting started our President announced in front of all 10 board members of the club present in Hilton Sofia Hotel that the board has decided to donate 2000 BGN for the needs of the Bulgarian Field Hockey Federation (BFHF) for the newly created team of children with mental retardation. The Bulgarian Field Hockey Federation has also applied for financing at the Ministry of outh and Sport and hopes the project soon to be funded, but so far there is no feedback from the Ministry. In order not to lose the gained momentum our donation is just on time as the trainings of the children have started and the money will be used for the rent of the training hall, for the transportation of the children to the training hall and for the trainers. The motivation of the children and the parents is very high. Our past member, our dear friend Mr. Jörg Schenk, who is the Chairman of the BFHF expressed gratitude for the gesture and the timely assistance. We will keep fingers crossed as we cannot wait to see the children as one hokey team to participate at the Special Olympics games in June 2023 in Germany.
Another donation from our club in the amount of 500 USD will go for the Rotary Club Samokov Global Grant project, where our club is partner. For the same project the Belgium Rotary Club Braine-I’ Alleud will fund 1500 Euro.
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January 11th, 2023 - posted in News and Events.
We started the new calendar year with our first meeting in 2023 on 11th of January at our usual place – Hilton Sofia hotel. All members were very happy and in high spirits as we had not met since the Christmas Party in December last year. The number of participants was also high. We had in total 17 people. We had three guests – Mr. Borislav Boinoff, Mr. Yavor Antonov, Ms. Evgenia Boranova and two guest speakers – Mr. Dragomir Draganov and Mr. Ivailo Dachov
Our president started the meeting with a wish for lots of health, happiness, success, prosperity and successful projects in the new year 2023 and announced that the 11th of January is a special day for our club as we are celebrating 18 years since the chartering of our club on 11.01.2005. We are proud of our achievements, projects and all our active members who contributed throughout the years to our club in making it what it is today.
After that several announcements followed. The money collected from our Christmas party was transferred to the donation account of the five-year-old Danny. Rumen announced that he has had a meeting with Gen. Ventsislav Mutafchiyski on 19.12.2022 regarding the project with Rotary Club Witten Hohenstein in order to present the project and to hand over information materials. Further details are expected. Our Donation of 5000 BGN for the Tiny house for the “Recreation Center for Children with Onco-hematologic Diseases” is installed at place. All Club members are invited to visit the center and to have a look at the donated container and the center.
We were requested to help the Bulgarian Field Hockey Federation by our past member Mr. Jörg Schenk who is the chairman of this Federation. Our President Mr. Rumen Rusinov participated in a meeting with: Mr. Antonio Antonov – CEO of the BFHF, Mr. Hristo Hristozov – Director of Special Olympics, Mr. Dimitar Georgiev – FH Trainer, Mr. Petar Naichev – Deputy Principal of School “Naiden Gerov”, Mrs. Katia Stoilova – Director of the Regional center for inclusive education. The goal of the meeting was to start to prepare a demonstration hokey team to participate at the Special Olympics games in Germany in June 2023. For the first time this team will consist of children with mental retardation. “Special Olympics” are ready to support the hokey team by covering the expenses for accommodation of 10+2 person for 2-3 weeks in Germany. Not covered are 380 Euro/person for air tickets, hokey equipment – 200 Euro/person, rent of the hall for training, the trainers, transportation of the children to the training hall. The first trainings started on 03.01.2023. Our club is requested to support the team. In this regard, the board will have a meeting on 18.01.2023 and will take decision how we can support them.
Nomination procedure for District Gouverner has started. Our club will nominate our dear member Mr. Plamen Lazarov.
We got Information from our member Mr. Mark Bouzy that for the Samokov Global Grant project the Belgium Rotary Club Braine-I’ Alleud will fund the project with 1500 Euro.
Our new flag is ready and Rumen presented it at the meeting. It is according to the requirements of Rotary International and we have now 50 new flags available.
Finally, Rumen gave the floor to Mr. Dragomir Draganov and Mr. Ivailo Dachov to present the exotic fruit Jujube and the production of liqueur and vodka from this fruit in Bulgaria with the trade name HINAПSKA. It was a very interesting presentation about the fruit, how it grows, when it is harvest and how they produce the beverages. At the end we all could taste the end result of the production process. High quality liqueur and vodka with excellent taste.
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December 15th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
Our last meeting for 2022 was held on 14 December at the Italian restaurant “Da Mamma Carla & Fabio” located at the top Center in Sofia, where we held our Christmas party.
We started as usual at 18:45, some of our members invited friends and family members and almost 20 people managed to come at the announced time, but later on, some more friends joined us for a glass of wine. Two of our Rotaractors Nevena and Philipp joined as well. Our dear friend Slavena, who is in maternity leave and we had not seen her for a long time joined the party as well. We were all very happy to see her.
Our President made a few announcements and let the guests introduce themselves. He shared some club internal affairs, then called for collection of funds for the operation of the five-year-old Danny from Haskovo, who is diagnostician with Ewing’s sarcoma. More information and how to donate here.
Аfter feeling the pleasant atmosphere of Guatemala with coffee and rhum last month, this month we immersed ourselves in the pleasant atmosphere of Italy and its wonderful cuisine. Ani and Linda brought table decoration made from the President of Rotary Club Dupnitsa – Mrs. Iliana Vakavchieva. We had the pleasure to taste vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, Italian salami, cheese, bruschetta, main dishes and Italian wine and beer. One thing was not included in the entrance fee – the dessert. Тhen Linda stepped in and served homemade stollen and tiramisu.
We witnessed a fantastic Rotarian fellowship. Everyone enjoyed the party and stayed until the restaurant closed.
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December 7th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
Our president couldn’t wait the start of the meeting on 7 December 2022 to announce the news that whole Bulgaria already knew. The 18-year-old Jacqueline Taracchi – Past President of our Interact Club Sofia International at high-school Meridian 22 is the new Voice of Bulgaria. After an impressive performance of the song “Povey, vetre” by the Bulgarian singer Mrs. Pasha Hristova, she won the Voice of Bulgaria statuette. We asked our friend Mrs. Radka Stamenova, who is the owner of the school to convey our warmest regards to her student Jacqueline. We are very proud of her and we will be expecting her visit in our club as a guest speaker.
All 13 persons present at the meeting including our guests Mr. Hanan Solomon and his wife Mrs. Smadar Solomon as well as Ms. Evgenia Boranova and our guest speaker Mr. Dimitar Dimitrov congratulated Radka for the achievements of her student.
Our new friends, the family Solomon are from Rotary District 2490, Israel, from Rotary Clun Shlomi. Mrs. Solomon had Birthday, so we surprised her with singing Happy Birthday song for her and sweet cake!
After announcements of several club internal affairs the floor was given to our guest speaker, the publisher Mr. Dimitar Dimitrov to present the newly published book: “Bulgaria and Macedonia. History and Politics”.
Mr. Dimitrov presented shortly the historical background and revealed the reasons for publishing this book The first part of the monograph covers the period from antiquity to the Balkan Wars (1912-1913). 32 authors participated in its writing. One of the biggest problems, which has existed for the last more than 100 years, is that the Bulgarian point of view was poorly represented in Western countries and they hardly know it. He pointed out that the Bulgarian thesis may be absolutely correct from the point of view of the historical sources, but it remained poorly presented. Bulgarians were convinced of the rightness of their thesis, and therefore they did not make any special effort to present it.
The second volume begins with Macedonianism and what was done by the Comintern (Communist International), it includes the period of the Second World War /1941-1945/ and it tells about the events that happened after 1945. „It will completely fill all the gaps and it will give answers to all questions we ask”, stated Dimitar Dimitrov.
Mr. Dimitrov said that many people in the West do not share the Bulgarian position because they have been processed by Macedonian historical thought and propaganda. The book has already been offered to all the major world libraries through the National Library.
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December 4th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
On 3 December 2022, the traditional Christmas charity Ball of Rotary Club Dupnitsa was held. The cause of the event was to raise funds for renovation and to purchase equipment of the Children’s Department at the “St. Ivan Rilski” Hospital in the town of Dupnitsa.
The event was attended by the Deputy Regional Governor, Mrs. Valentina Karaganova, the Chairman of Dupnitsa and Municipal Council, Mr. Kostadin Kostadinov. Guests were also the Past District Governor, Mr. Borislav Kadrekov, friends from Rotary Club Samokov, Rotary Club Kyustendil, Rotary Club Gorna Banya, Rotary Club Zlatograd Nedelino and Macedonian friends from Rotary Club Kumanovo, Rotaract Club Dupnica and Rotaract Club Veliko Tarnovo. From Rotary Club Sofia International there were Ms. Ani Hristova and Mrs. Linda Kim.
The event was attended by more than 180 people. There was a raffle with many prizes, provided by the club, as well as a charity auction of antiques and artwork.
The World kickboxing champion Ms. Alicia Susanina, from Sports Club “Patriot”, Dupnitsa attended the Ball and donated the boxing gloves with which she won the championship title to the charity auction. On behalf of Rotary Club Dupnitsa, the Club President Mrs. Iliana Vakavchieva presented Alicia with a plaque of appreciation.
The guests of the charity celebration were entertained by the wonderful performances of the children from Flute Club from St. Kliment Ohridski school with teacher Mrs. Augustina Georgieva, wonderful Dara Draganova, Ivanina Panayotova and Angela Dragomirova from Art School “ArtPop” with manager Mrs. Tanya Kamburova, girls from PTS “Zora” at People’s Community Center “Zora 1858” Dupnitsa with manager Mrs. Diliana Dikanska and Dance Machine with manager Mr. Alexander Dimitrov.
The host of the event and guest performer Mrs. Vladislava Hristozova heated up the passions with skillful folk performances and shocked the guests when she played beautiful Bulgarian songs on bagpipe.
The net amount, collected was 44,610 BGN. Adding the donations from people from the city and private companies the total amount is 82, 000 BGN.
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November 30th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
We had the pleasure to meet in person and online at Hilton Sofia and online for our annual elections on 30.11.2022.
The president of the club, Mr. Rumen Rusinov made a few announcements and shared updates on the internal affairs of the club. He presented once again the eligible candidates based on the attendance list and reminded about the Internal rules. Then he explained about the procedure for voting. The elections followed and the results are as follows:
President of Rotary Club Sofia International for Rotary year 2024/2025: Mrs. Linda Kim
Board members of Rotary Club Sofia International for Rotary year 2023/2024 are:
Mrs. Hristina Beeva
Ms. Ani Hristova
Mr. Plamen Lazarov
Mrs. Elena Vassileva
Mr. Plamen Latev
Mr. Claude Badan
Members of the Board for 2023-2024 are also:
Mr. Rumen Rusinov (President 2022-2023)
Mr. Grant Dale (President elect 2023-2024)
Mr. Linda Kim (President nominee 2024-2025)
Congratulations to the newly elected President and Board members. We wish them a successful mandate.
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November 23rd, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
On 23 November 2023 we had joint meeting with our Rotaract Club Sofia International.
The President Ms. Nevena Ivanova opened the meeting and updated all present with details on the past and plans for the upcoming events.
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November 20th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
The Vibrant Club Seminar took place from 18 to 20 November in Borovets ski resort. This year the event was covering the following topics – Membership, Projects, Public Image. Mr. Vladimir Vasilev, President of Rotary Club Samokov and Mrs. Violina Kostova, District Governor of District 2482 welcomed the guests.
The day started with an introductory session – The Power of the Good with moderator Mrs. Nina Miteva, Past District Governor. It was followed by an online presentation from the President of Rotary Club Karlovo about the flood that befell the villages around Karlovo. The topic was United We are Stronger. Next presentation was about the Nadejda Rotary Community Corps with topic New Partnerships – New Friendships. Later on, the Make a Dream Come True project of Rotaract Bulgaria aimed at families with reproductive problems was presented.
The program continued with work sessions under the motto “No Challenge is Too Big for Us”. The moderators of the different panels were: for the Expanding our Reach and Amplifying our Impact panel Mr. Valentin Stoyanov, Past District Governor and Mrs. Nedyalka Rosenova from Rotary Club Smolyan, for the Enhancing our Engagement and Increasing Adaptability panel Mr. Hristo Mihailovksy, District Governor Elect and Mrs. Margarita Bogdanova, District Governor Nominee, for the New Opportunities for Rotary and Business panel, Mrs. Elitsa Stoilova, Chair of Public Relations and Public Image Committee, Mrs. Violina Kostova and Mrs. Nina Miteva.
At the end of the day the winners of District Grants were announced by Mrs. Nedyalka Rosenova, Chairman of Rotary Foundation Committee.
The seminar was closed by Mrs. Violina Kostova.
The busy day was followed by an official dinner organized with the motto “Rotary Evening of Friendship” with nice surprises, organized by Rotary Club Samokov.
Rotary Club Sofia International was represented by Ms. Hristova and Mr. Rusinov.
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November 17th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
On November 16, 2022, our club convened at the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Guatemala in Bulgaria, located within the Cultural Center of Guatemala in Sofia, sharing the same premises. Upon our arrival at the center, we received a warm welcome from the Honorary Consul of Guatemala in Sofia, Mr. Veselin Simov, and the Director of the Cultural Center, Mrs. Silvia Veselinova. Mrs. Silvia Veselinova notably wore a huipil, a traditional garment worn by indigenous women from Guatemala.
The ambiance of the center was tastefully adorned, featuring a photo exhibition, books, and displays of Guatemalan national costumes. The room provided ample space for our 14 RCSI members and guests to feel comfortable, immersing themselves in the captivating Latin American atmosphere.
Our President, Mr. Rumen Rusinov, initiated the meeting with welcoming words and expressed gratitude to our hosts for their warm hospitality. Following introductory remarks, he ceded the floor to the Honorary Consul and the Director of the Center, who delivered a comprehensive presentation on the Republic of Guatemala. This presentation covered various aspects, including the country’s history, culture, politics, and economy. Notably, Guatemala ranks fifth globally in papaya and watermelon exports, eighth in coffee exports, and is the world’s largest exporter of cardamom. Agriculture thrives in Guatemala due to its diverse climatic zones, with the textile and food industries, among others, being well-represented.
The Cultural Center also actively supports business opportunities and facilitates meetings with Guatemalan enterprises, including visits to significant Guatemalan businesses such as coffee, cocoa, rum, sugar cane, textiles, and more. Additionally, it promotes the tourism industry, inviting cultural experiences in various parts of Guatemala, including visits to Mayan sites like Tikal, Antigua, and Atitlan. The presentation was truly remarkable and included short videos about Guatemala.
During the meeting, we had the pleasure of sampling some of Guatemala’s culinary delights. Silvia introduced us to Guatemalan coffee and rum, including “Between Volcanoes” coffee from San Miguel and “GUA MONO” gourmet coffee prepared using the “Chemex” method. We also savored Guatemalan rums, Zacapa and Botran, along with semi-hard cheese – queso Manchego and ham serrano.
As an international club, this meeting provided us with another opportunity to broaden our international connections and learn about foreign cultures. It was a genuine pleasure to immerse ourselves in the culture of this exotic country. The meeting concluded with a group photo of all participants and an invitation extended to the Honorary Consul and the Director of the Cultural Center to visit our meetings.
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November 10th, 2022 - posted in News and Events.
On November 9th, we gathered for the seventh time in this Rotary year, with a total of 16 individuals present, both in person and online. Notable attendees included:
- Guest: Pavel Bernard from the Rotary Club Botevgrad.
- Guest Speakers:
- Lora Rumcheva from the Interact Club Sofia International.
- Natalia Nedkova from the Interact Club Sofia International.
- Danail Nedkov from the Interact Club Sofia International.
- Dimitar Nedevski from the Interact Club Sofia International.
The meeting commenced with a warm welcome from our President, Mr. Rumen Rusinov, along with an introduction of our guests and guest speakers from the Interact Club Sofia International.
The President began by announcing that the club’s board, during the board meeting on November 9, 2022, had approved a donation of 5000 BGN for the purchase of a container (tiny house) for the “Rehabilitation Center for Children with Onco-hematologic Diseases.” In 2016, our club had also contributed towards the acquisition of a van for the center. Over the years, our members have maintained contact with the center and witnessed the construction and completion of the facility. On October 16, 2022, Ani, Grant, and Rumen attended the center’s consecration ceremony and were deeply impressed by its achievements. This experience led us to invite Mr. Plamen Belchev, the Center’s Manager, as a guest speaker at our meeting on November 2, 2022. During this meeting, he shared their experiences, challenges, and current requirements. We take pride in being one of the contributors to this project.
Mr. Rusinov also highlighted recent events from the past week. Four of our members, Ani, Linda, Elena, and Rumen, accepted an invitation from the Rotary Club Sofia-Vitosha to celebrate their 10-year anniversary of twinning with RC Pirot-Serbia. The celebration took place on November 5, 2022, at the “Chevermeto” restaurant, where Rotary members from 23 clubs, as well as esteemed guests like the Ambassador of Serbia, the DG of Serbia, the DG of Bulgaria, and many others, were in attendance. The total number of guests, according to records, reached an impressive 190 people, creating a unique Rotarian atmosphere.
Our highly engaged member, Ani Hristova, participated in a meeting with the Rotary Club Brussels Cantersteen, the only English-speaking international club serving the city and other communities. During this meeting, a flag exchange occurred, and Ani briefly shared her impressions from the gathering.
Following this, an update was provided on the progress of the MED-Bul project with RC Witten-Hohenstein. The official presentation of the project is scheduled for November 22, 2022, in Gotse Delchev. On November 23, 2022, our club members will meet with Dr. Rita Wietfeld from RC Witten-Hohenstein, Germany, who are the project’s initiators.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation by our Interactors Lora, Natalia, Danail, and Dimitar from Meridian 22 High School. The children were accompanied by the school’s owner and our esteemed Rotary friend, Radka Stamenova. You can find the presentation of the Interact Club Sofia International attached.
In closing, Rumen expressed his gratitude to our guest speakers, guests, and members for their participation in the meeting and reminded everyone to sign up in Doodle for the upcoming meetings.
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