In mid-June, Vasilena Pirinska, a member of Rotary Club Sofia-Balkan, visited Germany as part of the Rotary Friendship Exchange program. This visit follows a successful exchange earlier this year in April, when our German friends visited Bulgaria, traveling to Sofia, Burgas, Dupnitsa, Kazanlak, Plovdiv, and other cities, where they were warmly welcomed into the homes of our members.
The Bulgarian delegation that visited Germany included representatives from several Rotary clubs: RC Sofia International (3 members), RC Dupnitsa (1 member), RC Sofia-Balkan (1 member), RC Samokov (1 member), and two representatives from RC Burgas-Primorie.
A key highlight of the visit was the group’s participation in the District 1950 Conference, “Thuringia-Franconia.” As four members of the Bulgarian delegation were fluent in German, the organizers made the special decision to hold the club and project presentations in Bulgarian with simultaneous translation, rather than in English.
During their one-week stay in Germany, the group visited several local clubs: RC Höchstadt an der Aisch, RC Herzogenaurach, RC Erfurt-Gloriosa, RC Karlstadt-Arnstein, and RC Altenburg.
The meetings provided an excellent platform for all Bulgarian clubs to present their past, current, and future projects. A primary focus of the discussions was the outdated medical equipment in many Bulgarian hospitals. In response, our German hosts showcased a fully renovated, modern medical clinic staffed by specialists from various fields.
Beyond the formal meetings, the Bulgarian group visited museums, castles, and cultural centers, and participated in the weekly meetings of the host clubs. The group also had the opportunity to tour the private enterprises of several Rotarians in Altenburg.
The hospitality was exceptional, reflecting the true spirit of Rotary. Our hosts invested significant effort and energy into making the group’s stay both enjoyable and highly productive. The friends from Germany expressed their commitment to maintaining close contact with the members of the Bulgarian group and their respective clubs, pledging future support for important Rotary project initiatives.
