The Day of the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews celebrated in Kyiv
The exhibition was opened by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Ukraine Krassimir Minchev and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine Eliav Belotzercovsky.
Addressing the audience, the Ambassadors underlined the role of these historical events in Bulgarian-Israeli relations and the gratitude of the Jewish people to the Bulgarian citizens who found the courage to oppose the repressive policy of the fascist regime in the Second World War.
Special attention was paid to the person and the work of the Bulgarian politician and public figure Dimitar Peshev, who played a major role in the events of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. Two posters about his personality and work were presented in the exhibition hall in both Ukrainian and English.
The official part of the event closed with speeches by Diana Popova, Director of the Cultural Department of the Kyiv City State Administration and Elena Slatinska-Ovanezova, Third Secretary at the Embassy, who introduced the exhibition and its role in the cultural events of Bulgarian diplomatic missions to promote the landmark actions of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews and the paying of tribute to Holocaust victims as a demonstration of the values of Bulgarian society, opposing xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and religious and ethnic prejudices.
The exhibition "The Power of Civil Society: The Fate of the Jews in Bulgaria" is part of the State Institute for Culture's "Travelling Exhibitions" project. Since its inception in 2009, it has been present at more than 50 locations around the world.