Friends of Zion Museum Awards President Plevneliev of Bulgaria at the Conference of Presidents

The outgoing president of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, visited Israel this week to accept the Friend of Zion award for the courage of the Bulgarian leaders who bravely and courageously saved 48,000 Bulgarian Jews.

“The president, as the representative of the Bulgarian people and as a great friend and supporter of Israel, was chosen to receive this prestigious award” said Dr. Evans, who presented the award at the Conference of Presidents opening dinner.

President Plevneliev, along with President Reuven Rivlin, inaugurated a monument a few months ago to commemorate the protection of the Jews of Bulgaria by the Bulgarian people during the Holocaust and remember the Jews of Trakia and Macedonia who were sent from Bulgaria to the death camps and couldn’t be saved. President Rivlin stated at the ceremony.

“We will not forget the asylum you gave our people during the terrible Holocaust that killed six million of our brothers and sisters, in the darkest period known in Europe,” he continued.

“Forty-eight thousand Jews survived the Holocaust thanks to the heroism of the Bulgarians and their stance against the Nazis.”

Israel’s 9th president the late Shimon Peres who was the International Chairman of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center called the Bulgarian people ” a shining example of heroism and courage. Nobody dared to act this way in any other parliament in Europe of those dark and terrible days. If they had, six million Jews—our brothers and sisters—would not have perished.”

In Jan. 2017, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was nominated for a second time for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Friend of Zion Award was presented to President George W. Bush and Prince Albert II of Monaco.

The Friends of Zion (FOZ) Museum was established with the vision of serving as a bridge, enabling people from around the world to join the scores of people throughout history who have supported the people, the promise and the State of Israel.

As the fastest-growing pro-Israel organization on social media, FOZ confronts BDS, UNESCO and anti-Israel sentiments globally and was visited by over 100,000 people in its first year including world leaders, the president of Israel, Ministers, tourists from around the world, rabbis and leaders from Jewish communities globally. {eoa}