Bulgaria Marks World Red Cross, Red Crescent Day

On May 8, Bulgaria marks the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. The Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) welcomed distinguished guests to a ceremony in its Sofia headquarters.

The date marks the birth of Henry Dunant (1828 - 1910), founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The Bulgarian Red Cross was founded in 1878, immediately after the country's liberation from the Ottoman Empire. It currently has 28 regional and 269 municipal branches. Nearly 20,000 volunteers work for the BRC, assisting in a wide variety of activities, emergency relief, helping refugees, and rescue operations.

Thursday's event was attended by high-ranking Bulgarian officials, including the Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov and Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

The BRC Head, Hristo Grigorov opened with remarks of gratitude towards everybody involved in the organization's work.

"This year we celebrate 136 years of the Bulgarian Red Cross. It is one of the first institutions formed in Bulgaria after the liberation and also one of the most visible non-governmental organizations. None of this would have been possible without the active participation of the Bulgarian citizens over the years. Our achievements are the result of a tight bond between the Red Cross, the Bulgarian people, and the state institutions", Grigorov stated.

"Our biggest asset are the volunteers. Without their self-sacrificing effort, the fulfillment of BRC's mission would not be possible. These young people with huge hearts, working not for material benefits, but for bringing hope to desperate people, are a source of great pride and positive contribution to the future of Bulgaria", the BRC head added.

Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov...