site.btaMountain Rescue Service Marks 90th Anniversary, Receives Honour for Humanity

The Red Cross organization awarded the Mountain Rescue Service Directorate (MRS) on the occasion of its 90th anniversary with a badge of honour for humanity with the face of the founder of the Red Cross movement, Henry Dunant. The award was presented to representatives of the directorate by Bulgarian Red Cross Director (BRC) General Prof. Dr. Krasimir Gigov. The award was presented after the official opening of an exhibition, titled "90 Years on Duty in the Mountains", dedicated to the long history of the MRS.

Prof. Gigov congratulated the MRS representatives and veterans for their dedicated service and presented them with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the BRC.

"It is an honour for me to be part of this society. I wish to congratulate everyone on the opening of this exhibition, which is being held for the first time in this way," said MRS Director Emil Neshev. He explained that collecting the documents and exhibits was difficult, but important, because "it gives everyone the opportunity to see how the Service has developed over the years, what the equipment was before and what it is now." He paid tribute to the founders of the Mountain Rescue Service and thanked the organizers from the Regional History Museum in Sofia.

The head of the MRS in Sofia, Konstantin Stamov, noted the history and development of the directorate. "The Mountain Rescue Service was established in December 1933 by representatives of the Bulgarian Alpine Club, the Bulgarian Tourist Union, the Youth Tourist Union, and the Sofia Ski Club. Since 1950, the MRS has been part of the Bulgarian Red Cross," added Stamov.

With a minute's silence, the guests honoured the memory of all MRS rescuers who died in the line of duty.

The event was attended by the Chair of the MRS Management Board at the BRC, Veselin Ganchev, former head of the MRS Pencho Babukchiev, and the director of the Regional History Museum in Sofia, Assoc. Dr. Veneta Khandzhiyska-Yankulova.

The exposition will be on display in the Triangular Tower of Serdika exhibition hall until January 21, 2024.