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The Presidents of Bulgaria and India Unveiled a Monument of Mahatma Gandhi in Sofia

The great feat accomplished by Mahatma Gandhi, his love for his homeland and contribution to the birth of contemporary India are symbolically related to the deeds of our courageous fighters for a united and new Bulgaria. This is what President Rumen Radev said, who together with the President of India Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a monument of the legendary leader of the Indian independence movement. The author of the sculpture, erected in the South Park of Sofia, is Ivan Rusev and the monument is unveiled on the eve of the 150^th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth. The presidents of Bulgaria and India were accompanied by their wives, Desislava Radeva and Savita Kovind.

On today’s holiday, when we mark the 133^rd anniversary of Bulgaria’s unification, it is a great honor to me to attend one more festive event – unveiling the monument of Mahatma Gandhi, Rumen Radev said. In the speech he delivered, the President emphasized that Mahatma Gandhi and his deed are widely known in Bulgaria and are deeply respected because his ideas and doctrine contain universal values – that we should be more kind-hearted, have a vision for the future, seek what is good for the world. His messages for peace and non-violence, his call for us to be the bearers of change which we strive to bring about, his conviction that empathy is the best way to solve an argument, assign the leader of the Indian independence movement a worthy place among the brightest philosophers and humanists, Rumen Radev said.

The Bulgarian Head of State noted that Mahatma Gandhi is the moral compass of the Indians, thanks to whom today India is the biggest pluralistic democracy in the world. “Today modern India is led by Gandhi’s messages – they are that strong connection for the multifaceted Indian society,” Rumen Radev said and emphasized that Mahatma Gandhi’s personality and philosophy continue to inspire the people throughout the world.

The Indian Head of State Ram Nath Kovind greeted the Bulgarians on the occasion of the 133^rd anniversary of Bulgaria’s unification. “I thank the Bulgarian people for allotting this eternal place and home to Mahatma Gandhi’s monument in this beautiful country and namely on this day,” the Indian President said. He added that Bulgaria has a special relation with  Mahatma Gandhi – the Bulgarian artist Boris Georgiev spent a lot of time with the leader of the Indian independence movement in his ashram and thus they became very close friends, Ram Nath Kovind said.

At times of discord, uncurbed violence, of destruction, Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and values are even more topical, the Indian President said and added that “as champion of non-violence and apostle of peace,” the leader of the Indian independence movement made “the politically unimaginable politically inevitable.” Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King are among the many people that were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind further said.