site.btaBulgaria Commemorates 76th Anniversary of Rescue of Its Jews

107 POLITICS - HOLOCAUST - BULGARIAN JEWS - RESCUE

Bulgaria Commemorates
76th Anniversary
of Rescue of Its Jews


Sofia, March 10 (BTA) - Bulgaria Sunday marked the Day of Rescue of Bulgarian Jews and of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust and of the Crimes against Humanity. Officials, diplomats and members of the public laid floral tributes at the Monument to Rescue near the National Assembly in Sofia. The event marking the 76th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust was attended by Parliament Chairperson Tsveta Karayancheva, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder and Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

Earlier in the day, a march for tolerance and unity mottoed "Together for Bulgaria. Together for Europe" took place in Sofia, ending at the Monument to Rescue.

Karayancheva said: "The rescue of the Bulgarian Jews is proof of our nation value system. We are happy that we saved more than 48,000 lives, this must be told time and again, and we should be proud of it." She called for paying tribute to all public figures, politicians, parliamentarians and citizens who saved the lives of their friends and neighbours.

Karayancheva said this is also a day for opposing anti-Semitism, racism and ethnic and religious confrontation. "There are many challenges but if we raise our children to be kind and tolerant and to remember, the world will not perish," she said, recalling the Jewish saying "if you save one life, you save the whole world".

Alexander Oscar, Chairman of the Shalom Organization of Jews in Bulgaria, noted that the Monument to Rescue stands for the Bulgarians Jews saved by the Bulgarian people, as well as for courage, dignity and honour. He recalled that the Monument of Gratitude in Tel Aviv, unveiled in 2018, is a twin of the one in Sofia.

Oscar noted that the fight against anti-Semitism and any form of discrimination is of immense importance. He said the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews could be viewed as a responsibility for making the world a better place day by day.

Israeli Ambassador Irit Lillian said the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews was a unique moment in Europe's history: in the darkest moments for mankind, the spirit of love and equality changed the course of history. She stated that the people who prevented the deportation of the Jews must be respected forever, adding that they are the real heroes of Bulgarian society.

At a closing ceremony at the Sofia Synagogue, Ronald Lauder addressed the Bulgarian Jewish community.

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Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova said in a Facebook post: "Today we Bulgarians have an occasion to be proud. Seventy-six years ago today, we set the world an example of courage, human kindness and unity. Doctors, teachers, religious leaders, public figures, intellectuals, politicians, thousands of public-spirited Bulgarians rescued the Bulgarian Jews. Let us cherish this memory and make sure that fascism never resurges." LI/DD