September 2018
of the International Women’s Club-Sofia
October Coffee Morning – 9th of October (10.30) Arena di Serdica Hotel
president’s letter Dear IWC members,
IWC Executive board 2017-2018
President Albena Jones, UK gsm: 0879 119 152 president@iwc-sofia.org Vice-President Maya Metodieva, BG vicepresident@iwc-sofia.org Treasurer Desislava Ivanova, BG treasurer@iwc-sofia.org Bazaar Coordinator Bazaar Team Nicole Simmons Diana Michaels-Christopher USA gsm: 0879 506 799 c.iwcbazaar@gmail.com Charity Chairperson Maya Gocheva-Ash UK/BG charity@iwc-sofia.org Address 2 Maria Louiza Blvd., TZUM, fl.7, 1000 Sofia tel: 02 951 6117 www.iwc-sofia.org Office Manager & Membership Coordinator Zarina Benoun-Takova gsm: 0895 571 813 office@iwc-sofia.org tel.: 02 951 6117 (please call before visiting)
Project and Office Support Associate Milena Varzonovtseva admin@iwc-sofia.org www.iwc-sofia.org https://www.facebook. com/IWC2017
Warm greetings and welcome back to one of the busiest times of the year. I do hope everyone is feeling recharged and energized after the wonderful summer months. We would love to hear all about your trips, adventures and the lasting memories you created with your friends and loved ones in our First ever Members Competition – a short essay “My most memorable sumJuly FSCI event on 31 mer moments”, good luck to all entries, which must be submitted by the 17th of September. As you have all sensed by now we are on a transformational path of uplifting the presence and the image of the IWC to be not only the oldest but to become the most significant Bulgarian based women’s charity organization. I am delighted to report on what has been achieved in the last few months. Gratitude to the Bazaar Coordinators and team for dedicating their time to participate, meet with sponsors and brainstorm ideas. The monthly bazaar team meetings which were kindly hosted by our efficient Nicole Simmons, have resulted in a smooth preparation and laying the foundations of what is anticipated to be the biggest and best IWC charity Bazaar. Our move to a new IWC office is an achievement I am personally very proud of as we are now located in the heart of Sofia at the prestigious TZUM building. Thank you to IWC office Manager Zarina and to our office associate Milena for coordinating and executing the move. In preparation for our BIG 30th Anniversary event in 2019, some key elements have been established, as a result of the discussions with various IWC partners, the board and your input over the last coffee mornings. The event to celebrate the occasion will be a Gala Dinner which will remain in the IWC calendar to form our second annual fundraising event. It is proposed for it to be held in the second half of May 2019 at the Grand Ballroom of the Marinela Hotel. The proceeds from the ticket sales and funds raised by the unique auction planned will create a second pot of financial donations by the IWC. My final innovative idea (for now) involves all of us in a more close and personal aspect, many already know about it, as some have contributed to the formation of the idea during the July CM. It’s to print the first IWC calendar, with us the members featured in it. This will be an Anniversary issue calendar, however, we will have to be created now, as it will be sold at the IWC Bazaar stall to generate funds. Full details on all the above can be found inside this Newsletter edition. I would like to thank for your verbal and e-mail contributions and please keep it coming, as that is the only way we will shape up the club to be the way we want it to be. In the past couple of months, we participated in events with some of the charity organisations we support and we received numerous project reports and updates from others. Thanks to the support of the IWC, over 950 children of different ages took part in the Summer Academy of “Teach for Bulgaria” which officially opened on the 30th of July, among the guests at the ceremony was the IWC Vice-President Maya Metodieva, who greeted the students. On the 31st of July, the Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion and the IWC participated in an information meeting on the partnership for Early Childhood Development in Vulnerable Communities. Thanks to the support of the International Women’s Club, FSCI is able to cover the main costs of its public support centre in the vulnerable community of Fakluteta, where children and their parents receive help in the first and most important steps of the education system. I attended the meeting along with IWC members Miwako Note, Vessy Azar and Lily Kisiova. Thank you, ladies, for the representation. Our IWC membership is on the rise in the last 3 months we have had and would like to welcome the following new members – Naomi Wasitis (Canada), Maria Solarska (Bulgaria), Mariya Tsacheva (USA), Veneta Behar (Belgium/BG), Margarita Sabeva (Bulgaria) and Nevena Doycheva-Ryan (Ireland/BG). And it’s always sad to say “Goodbye” especially to the remarkable Vivi Patricia Anis from Indonesia who has been a true IWC activist and the charming Italian Raffaella Stroili. We wish you success in all you do and wherever your path takes you, remember you will always have friends at the IWC in Sofia.
Albena Jones
IWC President
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IWC Club Policy Smoking Please note that all IWC Coffee Mornings are non-smoking.
group, a charge may be added for instance if a guest regularly frequents one of these activities without becoming a member. A deposit is required from all members and guests attending an event with a cost involved. This deposit will be forfeited in the case of non attendance.
Language Don’t let a lack of fluency in English keep you from attending the monthly coffee mornings and other club activities. Many of our members speak other languages. Remember, we are an international club, and we are here to support you. You’re welcome at any time.
*Charge for guests at the discretion of the activity group organiser with a min. sum of 10 BGN.
Suggestion Box The suggestion box is always available at the members’ signin table. Feel free to write your ideas, concerns, complaints, and suggestions to the IWC Board and drop them in the box. Because you’re important to us, we want to hear from you.
Use of IWC Logo The Board has established the following policy for the use of the IWC logo and brand name. In order to prevent any misuse. 1. Written Permission must be requested from the Board a minimum of 2 weeks prior to event; 2. The partnering organisation/company should be in good standing in the community; 3. The event should seek to pursue the goals of the IWC; 4. No third-party usage will be permitted. An agreement will be signed between IWC and partner organisation; 5. The Logo may be used only for the agreed event and for specified time period.
IWC Visitors Policy The IWC doors are open to visitors throughout the year. Visitors are welcome to attend up to two coffee mornings and two activities prior to applying for membership. A 15 BGN fee is payable upon registration at the sign-in table during the coffee morning. For more information, please contact the Membership Coordinator at admin@iwc-sofia.org. Events Charges All events are available to fully paid up members of the IWC. Where there is a cost involved, it will be kept to the very minimum. Guests will be able to attend the events that are specified at the time. Not all events will be open to guests. Events that are open to guests will also carry a ‘guest’ surcharge as follows:
Guidelines for Paid Advertisement 1. Priority for any vacant advertising spaces will be given first to IWC members, then to outside advertisers. 2. Advertisers are welcome to run or extend their advertisements for a period of six months. After that time, if there is a waiting list for advertisements of that size, the situation will be reviewed, and priority for available spaces will be given to (a) IWC members; (b) new advertisers; (c) existing advertisers. The same order of priority will apply to smaller ad space that may become available. 3. There is no waiting list for advertisements of a given size, the current advertiser may extend their advertisement for the contract period of their choice. 4. These guidelines may be revised at any time with the agreement of the IWC Board. 5. Paid advertisers are not endorsed by the IWC.
Monthly Events Free monthly events are free to guests. Events costing under 20BGN, there is an additional charge of 5BGN. Events costing 21BGN or more, there is an additional charge of 50%. Monthly Activity Groups Monthly activity groups are free and any charge for guests will be at the discretion of the organiser of the
Rules For Announcements From Members 1. Advertisements will be run in two consecutive issues. If the member sends a request to run the advertisement again, it will be extended for a further two issues. After that, the advertisement will be removed. If the member still wishes to include the advertisement after that time, the request will be considered, but placement is not guaranteed.
4. Recommendations for individuals engaged in business (e.g., dentists, hairdressers, etc.) will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Board. 5. Final discretion as to whether to include an announcement rests with the Newsletter Editor. We ask members to send all announcements for the newsletter via e-mail. The size of ads should not exceed a single paragraph of five lines. The IWC board is not responsible for the accuracy of the information provided in these announcements. Please send your contributions to newsletter@iwc-sofia.org not later than the 15th of the preceding month.
2. Advertisements must be submitted by members. Members may not submit ads for non-members (e.g., for a friend who is selling a car, etc.). 3. Members may not submit recommendations for businesses. These recommendations may be submitted to the IWC Go To Guide. Businesses are also welcome to purchase advertising in the newsletter.
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September Important Dates 6th of September - Unification of Bulgaria
The city was named after the cathedral Saint Sofia Church, the second oldest church in the city, dating from 4th-6th century. 22nd of September – Bulgarian Independence Day
6th of September is an official Bulgarian holiday when Bulgarians celebrate the union of the principality of Bulgaria with Eastern Rumelia in the autumn of 1885. The Unification took place after people’s rebellions in Panagyurishte, Pazardzhik, Golyamo Konare and other southern Bulgarian settlements coordinated by the Bulgarian Secret Central Revolutionary Committee. As a result of a military coup led by Major Daniel Nikolayev, the Ottoman governor of Plovdiv Gavril Krustevich was overthrown and replaced by an administration appointed by the Bulgarian Prince Alexander I.
With the act of September 22, 1908, Bulgaria rejected the political vassal dependency from the Ottoman Empire – a result of the decisions at Congress of Berlin in 1878 – and became a sovereign state, equal to other European countries. The decision to proclaim independence was taken in August 1908 at a meeting between Knyaz (Prince Regnant) Ferdinand and the Prime Minister Alexander Malinov in Hungary. On September 22, 1908, in Tarnovo, Bulgaria was proclaimed a kingdom and Ferdinand I became the king of Bulgarians. This date was declared as an official holiday by a decision of the National Assembly of September 10, 1998. For a long time the significance of this event in the new history was not appreciated, but on that date in 1908 Bulgaria - one of the oldest states in Europe – appeared on the world map after five centuries of Ottoman domination. Today, the biggest celebrations are held in Tarnovo. These start early in the morning and continue throughout the day.
11th of September – Remembrance Day The world will never forget what happened on 11th September 2001. On this day Islamist extremists hijacked four planes flying above the US. Two of them were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Another was crashed into the Pentagon, the top military building in the capital city, Washington DC. Thousands of people died. Let us spend few moments on this 17th anniversary from the tragic events in NYC reflecting upon this event, and praying for the victims who died, and their families and friends. 17th of September – Sofia Day On September 17th is celebrated the Day of Sofia and the Christian holiday of the Holy Martyr Sofia and her daughters Faith, Hope and Love. Sofia means wisdom.
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The Seven Rila Lakes The Seven Rila Lakes are without a doubt one of the most well-known natural attractions on the Balkan Peninsula. They are located in the Dangskiya region of the northwestern Rila Mountains and are glacial lakes. The lakes are scattered at the foot of a massive cirque that includes the peaks Suhi Chal (Dry Peak), Otovishki, and Haramiya. The lakes have been named for their shapes and qualities. The highest of them is Tear Lake, which gained its name for its crystal-clear water. It is 2,535 meters high, directly beneath the Otovishki Peak. Next is Eye Lake, the deepest of the seven at 37.5 meters. It is oval and intense blue when the weather is good. Divers have explored this lake to gain further information about it. Somewhat lower than Eye Lake is Kidney Lake, named for its kidney shape, which has a surface area of 85 hectares and steep rocky banks. Next comes the lake Twins. Wide at both ends and narrow in the middle the lake resembles an hourglass. During dry years, the lake becomes two smaller lakes, and this
is the source of its name. Farther down the trail are Three-leafed Lake and Fish Lake. The Seven Lakes Shelter is on the banks of Fish Lake. The lowest lake is appropriately called Lower Lake, which feeds the Dzherman River. The lakes are all connected by narrow streams. Fish live in some of the lakes – minnow and trout – but in general these high mountain lakes are an unsuitable habitat for marine life because of their frigid water temperature, fed by rain and snowmelt. Every year on August 19, there is a large gathering of the White Brotherhood or Danovites, who congregate to celebrate their New Year. The celebration takes place near Kidney Lake and consists of ritual rhythmic unison dancing in a large circle. For the Danovites, the Rila Mountains are a holy place where thousands of devotees gather every year to greet the dawn.
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15th of September - first school day in Bulgaria lics. In Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, the first school day is in mid-August. In other countries, however, there is no exact date, and the school starts differently each year - so it is in France and the UK, for example. On September 15, schools start in the countries around Bulgaria Greece, Romania, and the southern countries - Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, Croatia, but also Austria and Luxembourg. In Japan, however, the tradition is different and the first school day begins at the beginning of April, when Japanese sour cherries (sakura) are blooming. In the Land of the Rising Sun it is assumed that spring symbolizes the beginning of a new life, so this is the most appropriate time to start schooling. Japanese students, however, rest in the summer. In Australia, the school year begins in February.
The date September 15 undoubtedly provokes the same emotion in children and grown-ups - this is the first school day in Bulgaria. It was not accidentally chosen - behind this decision lies a very practical reason. Every year on this day thousands of kids feel exited and scared at the same time, while so many parents realize their kids are growing up. Until 1921 pupils had returned to classrooms on September 1. In 1919 Alexander Stamboliyski came to power with his party “Bulgarian Agricultural People’s Union”. Established as a professional organization of the peasants in our country, the party was very much in line with country’s daily routine and needs. That is why in 1921 Stamboliyski made the decision to change the first school day and move it ahead with two weeks. The reason behind this was that children were needed to help in harvesting.
The start of the program is rang by the school bell and the bringing out of the school flag. People wish good luck and success to the kids; there are greetings from mayors and politicians. At the end of the official program the director of the school raises the national flag and invites the kids in the school to the traditional “pitka” (sour cake) with honey.
The idea of returning to the old date - September 1, came in 2001 when Minister of Education was Sergey Ignatov. However, it was never accepted. The beginning of September is the beginning of the school year in many countries around Bulgaria – in Czech Republic, Russia and most of the other former Soviet repub-
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Dominican Cooking Demo Stepping on the shoes of a Cooking Demo Hostess was a great reminder for me of what bring us together as IWC members: fun memories, new friendship and respect for our nationalities and traditions. It was a great pleasure for me to welcome at home such a wonderful group of ladies, to the received their help while preparing the dishes, to share my experiences and to learn for them, but moreover to see their special interest on the Dominican cuisine, which I can describe as a pot mixed with different culinary influences and flavors from Spain, Africa and Middle East as well. Thank you all for your company!
Moro de Habichuelas Rojas (Rice with Kidney Beans) Ingredients • 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh cilantro • 1/2 teaspoon mashed garlic • 1/4 cup of chopped celery • 1/8 cup of sliced pitted olives (optional) • 1 pinch of oregano • 1/4 cup of diced cubanela (cubanelle) peppers Green • 1/8 cup of capers (optional) put all ingredients on the blender or food processor and make a seasoning paste. (sofrito) • 2 tablespoons of oil • 2 cups of soft-boiled or canned kidney beans • 2 teaspoons of salt (or more, to taste) • 5 cups water • 4 cups of rice Instructions 1. Heat half the oil in an iron pot over low heat and put 2tbs of seasoning paste. Cook and stir for a minute, or until the ingredients release their aroma. 2. Add beans, also while stirring, add salt. Once heated through, add water and bring to the boil 3. Stir in the rice and simmer stirring frequently to avoid excessive sticking. Make sure to remove the rice that sticks to the bottom. 4. When the water has evaporated cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes. After this the rice should be firm but tender inside. If necessary, cover and leave another 5 minutes over very low heat. 5. Serve with meat, (or seafood), a side dish and salad.
Mango Salad Dressing Ingredientes: • 1/2 Cup fresh cilantro chopped • 1 Garlic clove • 1/2 Cup Green Onion
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• 1 Large Mango ripe, pitted and chopped (can be substituted by 2 cans of mango) • 1/4 Cup Lime Juice fresh • 1/2 Cup Olive Oil • Salt and Pepper fresh grounded Instructions: 1. Blend together the garlic, mango, lime juice and oil. 2. Add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. 3. Poor over your favorite salad.
Sweet Curdled Milk (Dulce de Leche Cortada) Ingredients • 3/4 cup of sugar • 1 egg at room temperature • 1 Liter whole milk at room temperature • 1 large cinnamon stick • 1 teaspoon of grated lime peels • 1 teaspoon of allspice whole (baxar in Bulgarian) • 1 Teaspoon of sweet cloves • 1/4 cups of raisins (optional) • 1/4 cup of lime juice at room temperature Instructions 1. Mix the sugar and eggs, stirring until they are well mixed. Stir in the milk. Sieve to eliminate undissolved egg parts. Mix in the spices , lime peels and raisins. 2. Simmer over low heat. Once it breaks the boil pour in the lime juice in different spots. Simmer without stirring unless it is sticking to the pot. The milk will eventually (about 10 mins) curdle, and chunks will float in thin syrup. Once the thin syrup has reduced to about half, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. 3. Chill before serving.
Roasted Chicken Leg with Onion Escabeche Marinate the Chicken overnight with garlic, oregano and salt. Roast in the oven over about 2Hrs. covered at 200C. For the Escabeche • 2 large red onion sliced in thin circles • 2 spoons of red vinegar • 1/4 Cup of Oil Instructions 1. Marinate the onions with the vinegar, and a pinch of salt for about 20 min. 2. Heat the oil at medium temp. and add the onion and the liquid of the marinade. Saute until tender. Spread over you favorite meat.
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July-August highlights July Monthly Lunch - 17 July
August Coffee Morning 7 August
August Montlhy Lunch - 15 August
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Announcements IWC Essay Competition IWC competition for writing a short essay on the topic “My most memorable summer moment” The conditions are the following: • open to all IWC members • not more than one page / a maximum of three photos • all entries must be submitted by Monday, 17th of September and will be published in the October newsletter • members can vote for Best essay by 15th of October with sending an email to admin@iwc-sofia.org • the winner and the two runners up will be announced at the November’s Coffee Morning and, of course, there will be terrific prices for our Top Three adventure writers.
IWC-Sofia 30th Anniversary Charity Gala As already mentioned after a few months deliberation it was concluded that the event to mark the 30th Anniversary of the IWC will be an Anniversary Charity Gala, to be held in the second half of May 2019. Though the main concept has been decided, we will need everyone’s involvement to lay a strong foundation for the IWC’s second annual fundraising event. We are still to decide on an exact date, the venue is suggested to be the Grand Ballroom of the Marinela Hotel. This event will be totally different from the IWC Annual Charity Bazaar, however, it will also require, organization and dedication, for this reason, we need to put together a strong Gala team of the following five responsibilities: • Annual Gala Organizer • Guest Relations Coordinator • Sponsors Coordinator • Auction Coordinator • Entertainment Coordinator The proceeds from the ticket sales and funds raised by the auction planned will create a second pot of financial donations by the IWC. If you are interested in joining the Gala team kindly e-mail: office@iwc-sofia.org Make IWC history by becoming one of the founders of the second regular IWC annual charity event in 30years. Many thanks!
Albena Jones
IWC President
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July-August highlights IWC Charity Event with Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation - 25th July 2018 Every summer since 2000, IWC-Sofia and Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation organize a BBQ in the social institution in Roman. In the last 17-18 years we have supported renovations in the home, educational and vocational programs, university scholarships, Baba program and a soup kitchen. The BBQ this year pre-
sented yet another opportunity to spend a day with the underprivileged children from the institution and pay them special attention. There was a group of young volunteers from Holland, who are renovating some rooms in the orphanage and helping the children.
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IWC-Sofia and FSCI - Information meeting / 31 August 2018 - they have set up a small restaurant from which they prepare catering for events, the beautifully presented finger food at the meeting we attended was made by the youngsters there.
The IWC Board and members were invited to attend an information meeting on the 31st of July 2018 by the Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion, which is one of the charity organizations we provided financial assistance to this year. The project we support deals with the Early Childhood Development in Vulnerable Communities. During the meeting, the following was presented - the FSCI centre in Fakulteta, which was built under the program “Early Child Development in Vulnerable Communities”; the development of the children and their families in the past year; the project partnership with the IWC; as well as the importance of education for this community.
Also, they have a small handmade soap manufacturing facility. I surely hope you all like your members’ gift IWC branded handmade soap by the talented young people supported by the FSCI and the IWC. We have an open invitation from FSCI and the project leader to visit the little ones and the team taking care of then at the public support centre.
Thanks to the support of the International Women’s Club, FSCI is able to cover the main costs of its public support centre in the vulnerable community. At this centre, the children and their parents receive help in the first and most important steps of the education system.
Also, they are in desperate need of very basic English language tuition and have appealed to us, as they know our members comprise of international English speaking ladies. The kids would be very appreciative of once a week 2-hour English language lesson on a voluntary basis.
I was accompanied by IWC members - Miwako, Vessy and Lily K. we totally enjoyed the afternoon - videos, presentation, discussions, meeting the entire team of FSCI and of course the cocktail afterwards.
Please let me know if you have an interest and can assist with this request.
Albena Jones
I was pleasantly surprised to find out about the other activities of the older children involved with the FSCI
IWC President
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International Women’s Club-Sofia and Foundation “Teach for Bulgaria” – 30 July 2018 For the eighth consecutive year, foundation “Teach for Bulgaria” organizes a free Summer Academy of Success and Entertainment for pupils from I to XII grade. The goal of the Academy is to raise the pupils’ motivation for learning and to improve their preparation for the subjects studied at school. The IWC-Sofia has supported the program in 2014 for the first time, when the fruitful cooperation between the two organizations began. In 2018 the International Women’s Club-Sofia donated BGN 8000 to the “Teach for Bulgaria” Foundation. The donation will be used to provide free education for children from 7 to 17 years of age, with the teachers
from “Teach for Bulgaria” working in collaboration with their school colleagues to scale the effect of their work and spread know-how so that other teachers can benefit from their best practices. This year the Eighth Summer Academy was officially opened on July 30 at 11:30am. Thanks to the support of the International Women’s Club-Sofia, over 950 children of different ages will take part in the Summer Academy, with full duration of activities from 30 July to 16 August. Among the guests of the ceremony was IWC vice-president Maya Metodieva, who greeted the students.
National Organization Little People of Bulgaria - web: lpbulgaria.org Eva Moreno is the Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Spain and Head of the commercial office. She presented to us the National Organization Little People of Bulgaria. They are looking for help in many of their projects, but in this moment in a special one: the Opening of their new center. The building is a gift from Sofia Municipality and they would need to purchase and build an elevator and renovate the building. For this they would need help with financing and material donations. Their group in Facebook is: ПодкрепиИти https://www.facebook.com/groups/206724296607108/about/ Contacts: Svetoslav Chernev (president) 0898504168, 0882496989 (just Bulgarian speaking)
Maximiliana Stancheva: 0879343299, m.stancheva@lpbulgaria.org
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Sofia International Poetry Tour Did you know that there are 28 poems from 28 countries in Europe on the walls of 28 buildings in Sofia? WallTo-Wall Poetry project is a celebration of the European message of unity in diversity. It was initiated by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bulgaria but became a European project in which EU member states and candidate countries share their poetry with Sofia. Within the project each embassy adopted a wall in the center of the city and decorated it with a poem in its national language as well as translation in Bulgarian and English, thus bringing Europe’s values closer to people. Here’s a list of all the poems in case you want to visit them: 1. Austria – Sofia Public Library, 4 Slaveykov Sq – Wolf Harranth 2. Belgium – UniCredit Bulbank, 6 Vitosha Blvd – Hugo Claus & Odilon-Jean Périer 3. Bulgaria – Hristo Botev Construction and Architecture High School, 34 Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi Blvd – Hristo Botev 4. Cyprus – Lozenets Municipality, 2 Vasil Levski Blvd – Pantelis Mechanicos 5. Czech Republic – Czech Cultural Centre, 100 G.S. Rakovski Str – Jaroslav Seifert 6. Denmark – Sofia City Art Gallery, 1 Gurko Str – Piet Hein 7. Estonia – Architecture and Urban Planning Directorate, 5 Serdika Str – Jaan Kaplinski 8. Finland – Underpass in front of the Presidency – Pentti Saarikoski 9. France – Small City Theatre Behind the Canal, 2 Madrid Blvd – Paul Éluard 10. Germany – Vasil Levski National Stadium, 38 Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi Blvd – Friedrich von Schiller 11. Greece – Vasil Aprilov 38th School, 40 Shipka Str – Constantine Cavafy 12. Hungary – Sveti Sedmochislenitsi 7th School, 28 Tsar Shishman Str. – Sándor Petőfi 13. Ireland – Mall of SOfia, 101 Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd – Máirtín Ó Direáin 14. Italy – Phone Palace, 4 Gurko Str – Dante Alighieri 15. Latvia – Honorary Consulate of Latvia, 4 Sveta Nedelya Sq – Rūdolfs Blaumanis 16. Lithuania – Sofia Public Library Branch, 1 Serdika Str – Marcelijus Martinaitis
17. Luxembourg – Sofia City Art Gallery, 1 Gurko Str – Raymond Schaack 18. Malta – Sofia City Hall, Vazrazhdane Disctrict, 62 Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd – Dun Karm Psaila 19. Netherlands – Natural History Museum, corner of Moskovska and Benkovski Str – Jan Hanlo 20. Poland – Bratya Miladinovi 30th School, 125A Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd – Czesław Miłosz 21. Portugal – Sofia City Hall, 33 Moskovska Str – Fernando Pessoa 22. Romania – 199 Theatre, 129 G.S. Rakovski Str – Mihai Eminescu 23. Slovakia – Slovak Embassy, 9 Yanko Sakazov Blvd – Ján Smrek 24. Slovenia – G.S. Rakovski 22nd School, 134 Vitosha Blvd – France Prešeren 25. Spain – Miguel de Cervantes Spanish High School, 1 Sultan Tepe Str – Félix Lope de Vega 26. Sweden – National Art Academy, 1 Shipka Str – Tomas Tranströmer 27. Turkey – Alphonse de Lamartine French High School, 35 Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd – Nâzım Hikmet 28. UK – Serdica Metro Station – Liz Lochhead Why not take your own Sofia international poetry tour! (Hint: You can build your own walking map by starring locations in the Maps.me app) Information reprinted with permission from https:// freesofiatour.com/blog/the-hidden-poetry-of-sofia/
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7 Sofia Tours That Are Not Just for Tourists Most of us are familiar with the “Free Sofia Walking Tour” (www.freesofiatour.com) we see in the city center. But did you know that there are several other tours available that can give you a new perspective on this fascinating city? Why not try one with your family or your guests: Alternative Tour: https://freesofiatour.com/tours/alternative-tour This is a unique adventure where you are the explorer, solving different puzzles on your own on a route through the city, like a scavenger hunt. Walk at your own pace and take as long as you like, just be back at the start of the tour by 5pm to complete the final challenge. Cost: 20lv (3 hours) Balkan Bites Food Tour: http://www.balkanbites.bg This free daily tour stops at interesting, small and family owned restaurants so you can taste small samples of traditional foods and hear about the history and customs that helped make them staple foods in Bulgaria. Cost: Free (2 hours) 365 Communist Tour: http://tours.freesofiatour.com/communist-tour A fascinating tour that includes the main landmarks of communist history in the city of Sofia. In an objective and informative way you will learn about the theory of communism, the history in Bulgaria, the pros and cons of the period and the relation between the communist government and religion, industry, economy, culture and everyday life of the people. Cost: 20lv (3.5 hours) Communist Trabant Tour: http://sofiacommunisttour.com This is a tour for everyone that is curious about this period in history and features a ride in an iconic classic car, the Trabant. The object of the tour is to take you back in time and let you feel what life was like for people living in Bulgaria during the communist era and the kind of challenges people had to deal with both during and after. Cost: Free (2 hours) Culture Tour: https://freesofiatour.com/tours/culture-tour On this tour you will learn about some of the most important parts of Bulgarian culture. The language and alphabet, traditional clothes, dances, music, food and drinks, famous people, holidays and religion, modern life and the national symbol – the rose. The Culture Tour will make you feel Bulgaria through all your senses – smell it, taste it, touch it, hear it. Cost: 22lv (3 hours) Graffiti Tour: http://sofiagraffititour.com Learn about the hidden language and culture behind the art on Sofia’s walls – from “rough” graffiti to professional murals. The team behind the Sofia graffiti tour includes experienced street artists, graffiti community partners and passionate fans with a wealth of “insider” knowledge you won’t get anywhere else. Cost: Free (2.5 hours) And for something TRULY unique… Sofia Sensory Journeys: https://sensorytheatresofia.com/en An unusual tour created by the Sensory Theatre Sofia and the Institute for Silence Research that is described as “an experience beyond words, engaging all senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.” Not many details are given, but it does seem to involve being led around the city in silence with your eyes closed. Definitely a unique experience for people who like to explore and experiment! Cost: 60lv (reservations required) Note: I am thinking of going on Wednesday September 12th 18:00 – does anyone want to join me? By Anya Ciecierski
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IWC Calendar This is a new IWC project, which is part of our transformational process. I felt the need to introduce an element that will be special and unique for our 30th anniversary in 2019 and that’s how the idea of creating an IWC calendar came up. After sharing the idea, getting feedback and general acceptance from the board members, the admin team and the IWC members present at the July Coffee Morning the idea started to take shape. We decided that it’s best for our calendar to feature us the IWC members in the city where we all live and is the base of our organization - Sofia. The calendar its self will be a multipurpose tool. How? The main purpose is that it will be created to mark a milestone in the IWC history - the 30th Anniversary and to raise funds. 1. It will be sold at the Charity Bazaar at the IWC stall to generate funds. 2. It is an advertising and promotional material for the IWC, so can be used as a corporate gift to sponsors, donors... 3. A copy will be included for each sold ticket for the IWC Anniversary Gala This project will be executed together with our official media partner M3 Communications. Their profes-
sional suggestion is to have mixed groups of 12 ladies featured for each month at unique Sofia landmarks or dressed in a specific way... Their creative team is forming a proposal and the photography will be done by a professional. The timeframe for this project is from now, September to November, as printing, must be done prior to the Bazaar. This task is in need of an IWC Calendar Project Coordinator - someone who can dedicate few hours a week in the next 2-3 months to coordinate all the details and be the link between, the IWC members, M3 Communications, photographer, location or venue set up’s ... If you are interested kindly advise Office manager Zarina or myself asap. Of course, being in the IWC calendar is optional and voluntary. Participation by all IWC members would be wonderful, as we are the IWC! If you are willing to take part in this project and are happy to be featured in the IWC calendar kindly fill in the participation sheet at the CM reception or send an e-mail to office@iwc-sofia.org Thank you in advance, this project should be lots of fun too!
Albena Jones
IWC President
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IWC-Sofia New Office – TZUM The IWC is ready to welcome all its members, partners, sponsors, charities and visitors to its new office premises in the heart of Sofia, located at the prestigious TZUM building.
• Our financial records show that when that office was rented it was in a poor state and needed renovation and repair work totaling 1728.20 leva, which was paid by the IWC in July 2016.
Identifying the need for a more suitable IWC office, I embarked on a tough journey to locate free of charge premises. After months of searching through various channels, estate agencies and proprietors of big Sofia real estate and office buildings my efforts seemed in vain, as the concept of giving something as big as an office for charity over a long period of time was not something that the Bulgarian business is accustomed to yet.
• The previous office was not free of charge.
• Our current office is in excellent condition, professionally cleaned and given to the IWC in a move in ready state.
A. RENT - A pointless and complexed scheme was devised which made it seem rent free but in fact, it was not. Our financial records show that the IWC was making monthly rent payments of 1000 leva per month to company “X”, at the end of the year another company “Y” made a donation towards the IWC Charity Bazaar totaling the payments made to company “X”, as if the money was being returned to the IWC. But it was given in a form of a donation from this other company “Y”, and in fact, this was the IWC’s money!?! B. BILLS - Our financial records reveal that further expenses were incurred for electricity, heating and water. These expenses for 2017 are in total of 6558.43 leva. All the invoices can be seen in the IWC Office.
One of the many venues I approached was, of course, TZUM Business Center, here I did not get a rejection of my request, but neither did I get an approval. So my negotiation techniques were put to the test and after six months of deliberation by the owner who liked the idea but was not committing, my persistence paid off and we agreed on a token rent for a suitable office for our organization.
• The current office cost is at an inclusive cost of 500 leva per month only. • Internet service – at the previous office there was no option to have an outside Internet provider. The Internet provided by the building was very bad; the Wi-Fi did not work at all. It was impossible to get any work done effectively and a technician had to be visiting the office to fix the Internet quite often which cost the IWC 35 leva per visit. • At the moment in the new office we have free of charge Internet and Wi-Fi provided by NOVATEL. • Access to the previous office was strictly limited and restricted only up to 7pm during weekdays and no access to our office space was permitted in the weekends and holidays.
Our current financial commitment is for 500 leva per month for an inclusive rent of service fees for 65sq.m. of unfurnished office space on the 7th floor of the TZUM Business Center. In addition, there was a condition for English language tuition to be carried out once a week by myself for the TZUM office administrative staff. Due to the factors of having the urgent need to move from our previous location, this opportunity being the only reasonable cost-effective offer and the prime central location, I accepted the terms and will be dedicating additional personal time to fulfil this tutoring task as a gesture of good will for the IWC, as the organization’s President.
• Our current office allows unrestricted time limit work access to our working space should it be required. • The location of our previous office was far away from the town center, requiring a longer commute time and was not easily accessible.
As I would like us to keep everything that is done at the IWC totally transparent and some raised the question of: - who is this office going to be for; - why are we paying now, as before it used to be free.
• Our new prime central location allows for: A. Both of our office employees to have an easy and quick access to work, saving for the IWC of 100 leva on their monthly travel costs.
I would like to give full clarity on the matter, as I feel that this was not done by the previously serving IWC board in 2015-16 and 2016-17, prior to my election. Our recent office location at Postoyanstvo Str. in Geo Milev residential district, which was sadly visited only by a handful of our members, was NOT FREE and not suitable. Here are the FACTS - minuses versus pluses!
B. Easy and convenient access for all IWC members, just right in front of Serdika Metro Station.
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As IWC members this new office is for all of us to use and visit. The board and some of the Bazaar team members have already visited, come to do work and schedule various meetings at the office.
like to attend. There will be refreshments provided in the communal sitting area on the 7th floor. We look forward to seeing you there and hope you are delighted by our new IWC office!
We would like to invite all of you to an office opening and viewing to be held on Tuesday the 25th of September. There are two possible time slots to accommodate for everyone’s availability, at 11am in the morning or at 17.30pm in the evening, please sign up as to which session you would
Albena Jones IWC President
We would like to thank our new donor Novatel for their generous donation of Internet connection year round for IWC new office and a brand new laptop.
September birthdays Kelsa Smith-Mouskourova – 1 September Angelina Alexieva – 2 September Vivi Patricia Anis – 3 September Ernesta Kazlauskaite-Tsakona – 6 September
Vasilka Velinova-Azar – 12 September Annamaria Giannakos – 12 September Neli Hanpolat – 21 September
regular activities Bulgarian Conversation Group Five Native Bulgarian speakers joined to form a conversation group by special request – just for you to grow and increase and to practice your BULGARIAN! We meet weekly at 10.30 every Tuesday. Please contact Jane Ewing for location – the teachers/ tutors are all wonderful Bulgarian friends from IWC who you respect and know. Don’t be afraid! Come join us! Zapovyaday!! Contact Jane by e mail: janeaewing@gmail.com.
Patchwork Group This group consists of seven members and we are meeting every Monday in the PLUS TOVA café, situated in Marin Drinov 38 st., from 10 am to 12 pm. Teacher of the group is Dusica Trkulja who is showing the making of patchwork. The members of the group have made a patchwork pillow which they would like to show to IWC members during the morning coffee in November. The group will continue again in January 2018 with its classes as in the following few months we will focus on the charity Christmas Bazaar preparations!
Russian Conversation Group To the attention of anyone who wish to improve conversational Russian language regardless of the level of her knowledge and practice: the new Russian Conversation group starts from February planning to meet twice a month. Everybody who is interested is welcome. Please contact Marieta Neykova who is a native Russian speaker by e-mail: neykova-mp@dir.bg or tel. 0889 84 93 54.
Book Club Members read one book a month, and then get together to discuss the book (discussions are in English and are usually very fun and lively). We read a variety of fiction and non-fiction books from writers of all nationalities. There is a morning meeting once a month on Friday. For more information contact: Sonya Petrova: andsonya@yahoo.com.
Hiking Club The hiking group is an energetic group of dedicated hikers who head up to Vitosha and the surrounding mountains every Friday. We usually meet at 9 am at Fantastico in Dragelevtsi. An email is sent to all hikers every Wednesday with more specific plans and this often includes different meeting points. A typical hike will bring us back to our meeting point at 2 or 3. For more information please write to Bistra Karakoleva (biskarakoleva@gmail.com).
Bridge The bridge group is renewing its playing sessions once a week starting from April as the private bridge club ”King of clubs” is not open during morning hours any more. Interested members are invited to play bridge with us. A place of the meeting will be fixed for each session. There is an English-speaking group and a French-speaking group. For more info contact Diana: dianakolarova@ yahoo.com, 0888 423 150 or Marieta: neykova-mp@dir. bg, 0889 849 354.
Tennis A group of members are starting to regularly play tennis together. We are of mixed ability and if you wish to join us or get on the regular emailing list then please contact Teodora Petrova on 0888 495066 or her email: teodora_p@yahoo.com.
English Conversation Group We are five native English speakers who take it in turns to lead a weekly conversation group every Thursday from 10:30 AM– 12:30 PM. Different venues and topics are chosen every week. All members and all levels are welcome. Please enquire at CM to see who is leading this group, as there were changes.
Tuesday Playgroup Mums and dads with babies, toddlers and small children, please come along to our weekly playgroup! We meet every Wednesday at 10am, at someone’s home or in a park or play centre. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people (some of us have lived in Sofia for many years so are great sources of advice and information too), and for the children to make friends. It’s totally free and there is no obligation to host, so please do come and join us! For more information or to be added to the mailing list, please email Stephanie.Karaolis@gmail.com.
Spanish Conversation Group Everybody who wants to practice and improve her Spanish is welcome to our weekly meetings. Also, if you are already fluent in Spanish or if you are a native speaker and you would like to participate, please contact Toi Castelló Reñé by e-mail: iotcas@gmail.com
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SEPTEMBER EVENTS MCM 11.09.2018 10:30am
TZUM Office – Opening event 25.09.2018
ARENA DI SERDICA Hotel, 2 Budapeshta str.
11:00 – 13:00 (morning event) / 17:30-19:00 (evening event) 2 Maria Louiza Blvd., TZUM, Fl.7, Sofia 1000
IWC Bazaar Stallholder Meeting 19.09.2018 10:00 am – 11:30am
Syrian cooking demo at Suad’s 27.09.2018 – date/time to be confirmed
Sofia 1000, 46 Khan Krum St. (entrance via Lyuben Karavelov St.)
101 Bistrishko shosse str., Bistritsa terrace Cost 25.00 BGN, up to 15 people Deposit at MCM
Monthly Lunch 20.09.2018 12:30pm Umami Restaurant, 100 James Bourchier Blvd.
September calendar Wk
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10.30am: MCM
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10am: Bazaar Stalholder Meeting
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25 TZUM Office – Opening event 11:00 – 13:00 (morning event) 17:30-19:00 (evening event)
12.30pm: Montly Lunch
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27 Syrian cooking demo
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