The Bulgarian Head of State was awarded the honorary title of “Dr. Honoris Causa” of the School of Higher Education
Facing the challenges of tomorrow, with their critical thinking and energy, the students have always been “the conscience of the nations” and a source of new ideas for the future. This is what President Rumen Radev said in the lecture he delivered in Toyo University in Tokyo, dedicated to the students’ role in the global processes and the prospects for development of the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Japan.
The Toyo University was established in 1887 and its motto is “Improve yourself for the benefit of the others.” According to the traditions of the university, the academic lectures are delivered in English. Toyo actively cooperates with Bulgarian universities and grants scholarships to Bulgarian students.
“Your generation is called upon to tackle big challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, building selfless connections between the nations and governments,” the President addressed the young people. In the Head of State’s words, a lot of these problems are a legacy left by previous generations and their solution brings to the fore the role of leadership and setting an example, which serve the public interest, international cooperation and the interests of humankind.
“The post-Cold War world has become even more unpredictable and dynamic. The arms race and the attempts to dominate from the position of strength, the increasing inequalities and terrorism further exacerbate the challenges we are facing,” Rumen Radev said. To cope with insecurity and the profound changes in the contemporary world, we not only need to accumulate a lot of knowledge and acquire skills, but also to preserve the values our societies are built on.
Rumen Radev emphasized that Bulgaria is thousands of kilometers away from Japan and there is a great difference in terms of the two countries’ number of population and GDP, but nevertheless there is a strong spiritual bond which has stood the test of time. In the Head of State’s words, both the Bulgarian and Japanese people have accumulated wisdom throughout the centuries and they believe in the strength of education, knowledge, culture and mutual trust, as the fundamental values of building a peaceful, stable and harmonious world.
The cultural and educational exchange are the most direct route towards getting the two peoples to know each other better and with their rich cultural traditions, Bulgarians and Japanese create conditions for promoting tourism, investments and trade, the President further said and invited the students to visit our country so that they can get acquainted with our nature, language, spirituality and culture on site. Rumen Radev also highlighted the growing interest among the Bulgarian youths in studying Japanese language and culture, and also the examples of successful Japanese investments in Bulgaria.
The students asked President Rumen Radev a lot of questions regarding the dimensions and results of the Bulgarian transition to democracy, the negative demographic trends in our country, the state of the Bulgarian pension system, the transformation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces within NATO and other.
During his visit to the Toyo University, the Bulgarian Head of State also met students and lecturers from Bulgaria and was awarded the honorary title of “Dr. Honoris Causa” of the University.