Campaign “The Unforgotten – 75 Faces of Salvation”

Campaign “The Unforgotten – 75 Faces of Salvation”

10.06.2017
"Незабравените - 75 лица на спасението"
Next to breeding good lawyers, who explore the profound practice areas of the law, Eurolex Bulgaria – Andrey Delchev & Partners is committed to various missions, not directly connected with legal matters, but involving recognition and acknowledgement of noble acts that should be followed and kept in the national and world memory.
Being a member of the Management Board of association “Friends of Israel in Bulgaria – Negev” and acting as an attorney of Shalom Bulgaria Organization, Magdalena Valova – partner in Eurolex Bulgaria – Andrey Delchev & Partners, attended a ceremony entitled “The Unforgotten – 75 Faces of Salvation” initiated by Shalom and the Central Israelite Spiritual Council.
In the year when the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for saving over 48,000 Bulgarian Jews from the concentration camps during WWII, the start of the campaign “The Unforgotten – 75 Faces of Salvation” was marked at an event at the Sofia Central Synagogue on 8 June 2017.
The Bulgarian Jewish community is paying tribute through this campaign to personalities, who stood up to oppose the decrees for Jewish deportation to the Holocaust death camps.
In the presence of members of the Jewish community, political figures, diplomats and members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Shalom president Dr. Alexander Oscar announced that the first nominee for the formal honor was Mr. Rossen Plevneliev – former president of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Shalom Bulgaria Organization conferred the award on Mr. Plevneliev as an acknowledgement of his consistent policy as a head of state in opposing extreme nationalism, anti-Semitism and hate speech. In his term of office Mr. Plevneliev visited Israel and welcomed the Israeli president here in Bulgaria, reinforcing the commitment of our country to establish long lasting ties with Israel on matters of wide social impact, such as the national security.
The second award was conferred posthumously on the late Vidin Metropolitan Neofit for his contribution to the 1943 prevention of the deportation of Bulgarian Jews to the Holocaust.
The role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the salvation of the Bulgarian Jews is unique and unparalleled in the world history. Shalom representative stated that it is duty of the children of the saved Jews to promote the moral rehabilitation of the forgotten silent individuals, who should be appreciated for their devotion to the moral, political and social positions.
During World War II Metropolitan Neofit served as a leader of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and was the determining factor for the unanimous vote of the Synod to condemn the Law for Defense of the Nation. Metropolitan Neofit was the one to organize the actions of the Synod and he was the most active participant in the discussions on the protection of all Bulgarian nationals.
Speaker at the ceremony was also the Ambassador of the State of Israel, His Excellence Irit Lilian, who said that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church had been a source of shining moral light throughout a period of darkness, and this example should be remembered forever.
The two awards are coming as symbol of gratitude by the descendants of the saved Jewish community to outstanding individuals from the past and modern history of Bulgaria.

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