On 2 October 2019 an interesting meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International took place. A combination of official dinner and Bowling tournament in Sky City Mall.
The meeting started with discussing the status of the Rotaract and Interact Clubs we sponsor and how to attract more young leaders to join and how to help them organize and have a healthy club life.
Afterwards the project of school furniture from Asbach, Germany was discussed and preparation is ongoing. There is a good interest from schools and as a priority are schools from poorest regions unable to buy themselves new furniture.
Another project was presented in help of a school with talented kids (with difficult lives – either abandoned or without parents) in Rosalya village in Bulgaria. The kids in this school are from first till twelfth grades and are in need of clothes, games, toys, books.
Afterwards the fun part followed when 9 players divided on two lanes measured their swords and relaxed in an exciting manner after the long business day. Everybody enjoyed it and it was noticed that there are some promising semi-professional bowling players among us.
On 25 September 2019 the first regular meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International after summer season was held in the club’s home base Hilton Sofia. The President Mr. Plamen Kertev opened with a few introductory words, then proceeded with a presentation of the MED-Bul Project, details can be found here and here. The great efforts and brilliant work of Mr. Rumen Russinov, assisted by Mr. Enrico Repouz and Mr. Svetlozar Shkoutov, led to the successful realization of the project. 3 hospitals in North-East Bulgaria were beneficiaries of medical equipment shipped in 2 waves from Austria. Directors of Hospitals are very satisfied by the donations, which were very useful and needed. There are possibilities of new projects with the Austrian Rotary clubs. Main help needed is covering the cost of the transportation.
During the meeting the progress of the main club’s project – the sitting volleyball team “Sofia Owls” – was also presented. We already have 11 people willing to play (4 in wheel-chairs) and 3 coaches to select from. Since 9 out of 11 players come from Mladost district, a new place was found in the University of Mining and Geology and the possibilities for practice are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The training are about to start next Friday.
Another project proposal made by Mr. Jorg Shenk is the offer of used school furniture (tables and chairs) in good condition from Asbach, Germany and research is underway for interested elementary schools to receive this donation.
After the official part, the fellowship continued.
On 22 August 2019 a full truck of medical equipment from Austria arrived at the hospital of “Sveti Ivan Rilski” in Razgrad. It is the second donation of medical equipment for poorly equipped Bulgarian hospitals within the joined project MED-Bul of our club, Rotary Club Sofia International, and Rotary Club Korneuburg and Rotary Club Klosterneuburg from Austria. This time the equipment was intended to be distributed within three multidisciplinary hospitals for active treatment – MBAL Razgrad, MBAL Shumen and MBAL Targovishte. The donation contained beds, medical equipment, walkers, bedding and work clothes to be used for the purposes of the hospitals. The staff of the hospital in Razgrad gave their contribution to the project by sorting and distributing the entire truck delivery within one week in their warehouse among the three hospitals.
The shipment was transported to the capital of Ludogorie region again with the assistance of the forwarding company “Jöbstl Bulgaria” Ltd., private individuals and the hospitals themselves.
The official handover ceremony and signing of the donation contracts took place on 3 September 2019 at the hospital of Razgrad where the Directors of the three hospitals were present. As an expression of their thankfulness for the donation our club received a plaque with a thank you note with the symbol of the city of Razgrad on it – a clock tower.
It is worth to mention the announcement of the hospital in Shumen that they will be saving from now on about 60 000 BGN per year because of the donated sterilization equipment from the first delivery.
Rotary Club Sofia International has started an international joint project with two Austrian clubs – Rotary Club Korneuburg and Rotary Club Klosterneuburg. The project is called MED-Bul and is a donation project for used medical equipment from several Austrian hospitals to Bulgarian hospitals with insufficient or poor equipment. The donated equipment is in good condition and fully efficient. The efforts of the joint project team were successful and the first equipment with value of 30,000 EUR was delivered on 7 August 2019 to the hospital MBAL Shumen. The transportation expenses were donated by the forwarding company Jöbstl Bulgaria who provided the logistic support. The equipment is a sterilization device which was accepted with thankfulness by the Director of the Shumen hospital D-r Dimitar Kostov and it was handed over by the past secretary of Rotary Club Sofia International Mr. Rumen Rusinov to the Deputy Director of the hospital D-r Nedko Todorov. A joint picture was taken as an evidence on that day.
The donation project has just started and the joint project team from Austria and Bulgaria are coordinating now the next delivery to other Bulgarian hospitals. It is expected the next delivery to take place also within August and in the coming months more trucks with medical equipment of high value to be donated to Bulgarian hospitals.
On 10 July 2019, Ms. Ani Hristova and Mr. Michail Sougarev visited the regular meeting of Rotary Club Nova Zagora.
Mr. Valentin Vasilev, the President of Rotary Club Nova Zagora opened the meeting and gave the guest form Rotary Club Sofia International the floor to present the “Sofia Owls” sitting volleyball project. The members of Rotary Club Nova Zagora were enthusiastic about the idea and will organize a meeting with the local administrations to try and understand if a similar sitting volleyball team could be established in the region.
The meeting continued with internal matters of the host club, after which the fellowship continued with a lot of discussions and exchange of ideas.
Rotary Club Sofia International would like to thank Rotary Club Nova Zagora for the invitation and the hospitality.
On 10 July in Sofia other members of Rotary Club Sofia International met in “Pod lipite” restaurant in Lozenetz, Sofia. Our summer informal meetings are held there every Wednesday at 19:00.
The Past President of Rotary Club Sofia International attended the handover ceremony of Rotary Club Harmanli on 5 and 6 July 2019. The celebration started on Friday evening with a barbecue in the “Rotary Village” located on the shore of Ivaylovgrad dam near the Borislavtsi village. In the morning of 6 July a ceremony for raising the flags of Bulgaria, Rotary International and Rotary Club Harmanli took place.
The Handover ceremony was in the evening in the nearby village – Malki Voden, also on the shore of the lake. The President, Mr. Galin Karagyozov and also friend of Rotary Club Sofia International in an emotional speech thanked his board and presented the chain to the new President – Mr. Milko Milkov.
Ms. Hristova will like to thank all members of Rotary Club Harmanli for the great weekend and Mr. Dimcho Nalbantov and Mrs. Zdravka Nalbantova for their hospitality.
Rotary Club Sofia International participated with 6 players (3 teams) in the first volleyball tournament, organized by the Embassy of Pakistan to Bulgaria. The event was held at the beach-volleyball complex at the courtyard of the University of Mining and Geology in Sofia. The tournament gathered more than 25 participants – Rotarians, diplomats, friends from Embassies and from private companies.
The 3 teams of Rotary Club Sofia international consisted of – Ms. Ani Hristova, Mrs. Dessy Tian, Mrs. Hristina Malchevska, Mr. Enrico Repouz, Mr. Yordan Dukov, and the club’s newest friend Ms. Anelya Maleva. All our players were dressed up in the newly designed jerseys of Sofia Owls, the sitting volleyball team of Rotary Club Sofia International.
After the tournament some of the “dream players” needed a refreshment, thus they visited the informal meeting of the club in “Pod Lipite”. Our dear friend and former member Mr. Ilian Madjarov, now President of Rotary Club Tallinn Global also joined us and explained about their club’s activities in Estonia. He also sent greeting to all members of Rotary Club Sofia International from the members of Rotary Club Tallinn Global.
The celebrations for that very special day in District 2482 – the handover of the District Governor’s chain – started on Friday 28 June, when members of the Rotary Club Veliko Tarnovo showed their warm hospitality and friendly company in “Shtastlivetza” restaurant.
Later on in the Musical and dramatic theater “Konstantin Kisimov” the handover ceremony of District 2482 took place. Mr. Veselin Dimitrov made a quick recap of his year as a District Governor and then handed the jewel to the next Governor – Mr. Mitko Minev. He in his turn thanked for the high honor and responsibility that Rotarians in the country vested upon him. He assured everyone that he would work with all his heart and soul for the prosperity of the largest humanitarian organization.
On behalf of the mayor of Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, Mr. Daniel Panov, the deputy mayor, Mrs. Snezhana Daneva – Ivanova expressed the recognition of the municipal administration and of the citizens of the old capital for the active and tireless work of Rotary Club Veliko Tarnovo. She congratulated the participants in the ceremony. She presented Mr. Minev with an icon of Jesus Christ to protect him during he service above self and during his year as a District Governor.
All the new Presidents of Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs who were present also exchanged their chains.
The highlight of the weekend was a concert by the orchestra and singers of the “Konstantin Kisimov” theater.
Rotary Club Sofia International was represented by the President 2019/2020, Mr. Plamen Kertev and Past President Ms. Ani Hristova.
The celebrations continued with a dinner, exchanging of presents and flags, accepting new members in Rotary Club Veliko Tarnovo, for the first time in its 80-years history, the the club accepted women. The night continued with awarding distinguished Rotarians, lots of music and good mood. The municipality of Veliko Tarnovo was delighted to take part in the celebration with the “Sound and Light” show. A “quiet” raffle was held during the dinner. The money collected was over 3000 BGN. They will be used for the cause of Rotary Club Veliko Tarnovo “Fruit for a Drop of Blood” – a project for preventive screening of children for diabetes.
The networking continued until the small hours of the day.
The last regular meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International on 26 June, 2019 was a culinary trip to the Armenian restaurant in Sofia “Egur Egur”. The proper atmosphere in this authentic taste-bud-experience took care for the President’s chain exchange from Mr. Enrico Repouz to our next President, Mr. Plamen Kertev. Mr. Plamen Kertev took the helm in the presence of numerous members and our guests: Mr. Brandur Haukson, Mrs. Irina Repouz, Mrs. Kathrine Rossi, Mr. Borislav Boynov form a Rotary Club in Zimbabwe, Mr. Thomas Metz, Mrs. Regina Simon.
Before giving the floor to the new President Mr. Repouz drew the attention of the present to a few internal topics. Our club has been asked by Rotary Club Sofia Balkan to support their endeavor “Braking the Circle of Poverty for Mothers of Children with Disabilities” by pledging a modest amount of money to the project. The proposal was voted unanimous by all 23 present members. Another announcement was the Beach Volleyball Tournament organized by the Embassy of Pakistan. The tournament will take place on 3 July and the following people will take part: Ms. Ani Hristova, Mr. Yordan Dukov, Mrs. Dessy Tian, Mrs. Hristina Malchevska, Mr. Enrico Repouz all from Rotary Club Sofia International, and a friend of our club Ms. Aneliya Maleva. Jerseys are being branded and Rotary Club Sofia International will use this event to promote Sofia Owls and create awareness for the sitting volleyball as a sport. The last internal item announced was a call for help. A friend is in need. A 32 years old woman named Kamelia has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Kamelia and desperately needs unaffordable for her family amount of money for stem cells transplantation. You can help either by donating money here, or by donating things that can be sold. For further information you can contact our Past President Ms. Ani Hristova.
The meeting continued with the President’s chain exchange ceremony. The Rotarian year came to an end and with it the Presidency of Mr. Enrico Repouz. In his touching speech he acknowledged with gratitude the hard work that has been done during the year and the work of all his predecessors. He thanked all members, who took great part in shaping our club by organizing and following through old and new projects, paying attention that our statues are in order and that we do right. He took the opportunity to personally thank Mr. Thomas Westerhoven, Mr. Jörg Schenk, Mr. Svetozar Shkoutov, Ms. Ani Hristova, Mr. Michail Sougarev, Mr. Rumen Rusinov, Mr. Peter Simon, and Mrs. Snejana Doncheva for their support.
The President 2019/2020 Mr. Plamen Kertev took the floor and wished that during his year the club will continue to progress and be among the top clubs in the District. He then announced that during the summer break informal meetings will take place at Pod Lipite Restaurant every Wednesday at 19:00 and after wishing all a good summer closed the official part for the fellowship to continue.
On 19 June 2019 Rotary Club Sofia International officially endorsed Mrs. Svetla Todorova as a candidate for Rotary Peace Fellowship scholarship. She was met with “friendly fire” by the Rotary Peace Fellowship (RPF) Committee to check on her aptitude for the program. The interview lasted one and a half hours, during which Svetla had to answer many questions, and to describe her vision for the work ahead, in case of successful completion of her education and upon her return to Bulgaria.
The committee consisting of: Prof. Dr. Ilse Pejeva, Bulgarian Academy of Science (BAS) Chair of Humboldt Association; Prof. Dr. Tanya Kazangieva, BAS; Prof. Dr. Snejana Doncheva, BAS, Chair of Committee of RPF; Mrs. Viliona Kostova, Charir of Rotary Foundation, D-2482; Mr. Veselin Dimitrov, District Governor 2018/2019 of D-2482; Mr. Mitko Minev, District Governor 2019/2020 of D-2482; Mr. Jörg Schenk, Chair of Membership Committee of Rotary Club Sofia International and Past President; Ms. Ani Hristova, Chair of Subcommittee Donation and Recognitions of D-2482 Past President of Rotary Club Sofia International; Mr. Enrico Repouz President 2018/2019 Rotary Club Sofia International.
Later that day our regular weekly meeting was held at the cozy Persian restaurant “Ashurbanipal” located in the center of Sofia. Excellent food from the Middle East contributed for the good atmosphere and gathered 21 members and 8 guests. Master cook and owner and has more than 30 years master-chef experience in high end restaurants in Embassies.
In order to be able to enjoy the food, the official part was limited to presenting the new jersey of the “Sofia Owls” sitting volleyball team, modeled by our friend Mr. Yordan Dukov.
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On 2 October 2019 an interesting meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International took place. A combination of official dinner and Bowling tournament in Sky City Mall.
On 25 September 2019 the first regular meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International after summer season was held in the club’s home base Hilton Sofia. The President Mr. Plamen Kertev opened with a few introductory words, then proceeded with a presentation of the MED-Bul Project, details can be found 
On 22 August 2019 a full truck of medical equipment from Austria arrived at the hospital of “Sveti Ivan Rilski” in Razgrad. It is the second donation of medical equipment for poorly equipped Bulgarian hospitals within the joined project MED-Bul of our club, Rotary Club Sofia International, and Rotary Club Korneuburg and Rotary Club Klosterneuburg from Austria. This time the equipment was intended to be distributed within three multidisciplinary hospitals for active treatment – MBAL Razgrad, MBAL Shumen and MBAL Targovishte. The donation contained beds, medical equipment, walkers, bedding and work clothes to be used for the purposes of the hospitals. The staff of the hospital in Razgrad gave their contribution to the project by sorting and distributing the entire truck delivery within one week in their warehouse among the three hospitals.
Rotary Club Sofia International has started an international joint project with two Austrian clubs – Rotary Club Korneuburg and Rotary Club Klosterneuburg. The project is called MED-Bul and is a donation project for used medical equipment from several Austrian hospitals to Bulgarian hospitals with insufficient or poor equipment. The donated equipment is in good condition and fully efficient. The efforts of the joint project team were successful and the first equipment with value of 30,000 EUR was delivered on 7 August 2019 to the hospital MBAL Shumen. The transportation expenses were donated by the forwarding company Jöbstl Bulgaria who provided the logistic support. The equipment is a sterilization device which was accepted with thankfulness by the Director of the Shumen hospital D-r Dimitar Kostov and it was handed over by the past secretary of Rotary Club Sofia International Mr. Rumen Rusinov to the Deputy Director of the hospital D-r Nedko Todorov. A joint picture was taken as an evidence on that day.
On 10 July 2019, Ms. Ani Hristova and Mr. Michail Sougarev visited the regular meeting of Rotary Club Nova Zagora.
The Past President of Rotary Club Sofia International attended the handover ceremony of Rotary Club Harmanli on 5 and 6 July 2019. The celebration started on Friday evening with a barbecue in the “Rotary Village” located on the shore of Ivaylovgrad dam near the Borislavtsi village. In the morning of 6 July a ceremony for raising the flags of Bulgaria, Rotary International and Rotary Club Harmanli took place.
Rotary Club Sofia International participated with 6 players (3 teams) in the first volleyball tournament, organized by the Embassy of Pakistan to Bulgaria. The event was held at the beach-volleyball complex at the courtyard of the University of Mining and Geology in Sofia. The tournament gathered more than 25 participants – Rotarians, diplomats, friends from Embassies and from private companies.
The celebrations for that very special day in District 2482 – the handover of the District Governor’s chain – started on Friday 28 June, when members of the Rotary Club Veliko Tarnovo showed their warm hospitality and friendly company in “Shtastlivetza” restaurant.
The last regular meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International on 26 June, 2019 was a culinary trip to the Armenian restaurant in Sofia “Egur Egur”. The proper atmosphere in this authentic taste-bud-experience took care for the President’s chain exchange from Mr. Enrico Repouz to our next President, Mr. Plamen Kertev. Mr. Plamen Kertev took the helm in the presence of numerous members and our guests: Mr. Brandur Haukson, Mrs. Irina Repouz, Mrs. Kathrine Rossi, Mr. Borislav Boynov form a Rotary Club in Zimbabwe, Mr. Thomas Metz, Mrs. Regina Simon.
On 19 June 2019 Rotary Club Sofia International officially endorsed Mrs. Svetla Todorova as a candidate for Rotary Peace Fellowship scholarship. She was met with “friendly fire” by the Rotary Peace Fellowship (RPF) Committee to check on her aptitude for the program. The interview lasted one and a half hours, during which Svetla had to answer many questions, and to describe her vision for the work ahead, in case of successful completion of her education and upon her return to Bulgaria.
