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Translation from Bulgarian
Yank Barry: The billionaire philanthropist with a picturesque biography in a special interview for Jenite.bg! Kristina Nesheva, March 24, 2015, 14:31, Jenite.bg Internet site
How a billionaire donates his money in order to help people in need around the world
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A businessman, a billionaire, a former musician, a philanthropist, a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. These are only a part of the definitions accompanying the name of Gerald Barry Falovitch, known as Yank Barry in Bulgarian and world media. He is a Byelorussian Jew and a Canadian by birth. He is the owner of the Global Village charity organization, which provides humanitarian aid to people in need around the world.
Since the Canadian billionaire started his charity activity, his 27 years’ musical career seems to have stayed in the background. In 1990 he creates a company for food products that are meat substitutes. The company has quickly turned into a world leader in this field. Five years later he creates Global Village, which is also called “Champions’ Organization” because of the long list of famous people who are volunteers and representatives of the organization, for instance Celine Dion, Mike Tyson, Snoop Dogg, etc. In Bulgaria, Yank Barry is mainly known for the help he gives to the refugees in the country. In 2013, together with Evander Holyfield, he visited the refugee camp in Harmanli, which provoked diverse reactions in society. Some people think he is a benefactor, while others are of the opinion that his seemingly lofty actions as regards the refugees are not at all right or adequate. However, there were no such critical opinions in 2012, when the billionaire donated to Sofia Municipality three tons of food packs for disadvantaged people. Today Yank Barry is an owner and tenant of several buildings in Bulgaria where refugees are placed. One of them is a house in the outskirts of Bankya. A team of Jenite.bg visited this house and we will tell you a lot about it in the weeks to come. In its work in our country, Global Village collaborates with the State Agency for Refugees. We are going to introduce to you the charity activity of Global Village in Bulgaria. But, first, let us present to you the opinion of Yank Barry on certain matters that are of interest to Bulgarian citizens. How a musician turns into a world-famous
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philanthropist and why Zdravko Georgiev and Christiana Valcheva are the first representatives of Global Village in Bulgaria – these are only some of the things you are going to learn from the special interview that Yank Barry gave to Jenite.bg!
In the rented house for refugees in the town of Bankya When and how did you start conducting charitable activities? When I was about 20, I decided to turn my life around and do some good for this world. That’s the time I started my charitable activities. I try to help everybody, but unfortunately, this is impossible. That is why I help people who are in the greatest need – those affected by natural disasters or armed conflicts, for instance. For me it does not matter what their religion or ethnos is. We are just people and, in his life, each one of us has his moments when he needs a helping hand. Now all the refugees around the world need help and that is what I provide them with. I am Jewish. And just like the Jews were innocent victims of the Nazis during the Second World War, there are hundreds of thousands of Syrians who are innocent victims. Have you got any idea of how difficult it is to start your life from the very beginning, with no job, money or home? Wars are a problem throughout the world. They are not a problem of separate countries only, and we cannot just turn a blind eye to them and say the problem is not ours because it does not take place on our territory. Why do you help? What is your personal motivation? I can help and I do help. A lot of people think that, in order to help, you should have money. That is not true. What you should have is heart. During the floods, a large number of Bulgarians helped by way of doing work. Many people
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brought clothes to the camps so that the refugees can have something to wear. These examples show that everything depends on us only. The people we help are always innocent – they have done nothing bad and what they are going through is terrible. Refugees flee from the inevitable and violent death. In Bulgaria our foundation works together with the State Agency for Refugees and endeavours to help all refugees, not only those from Syria, Iran or Iraq.
Global Village provides food for the refugee camps in Bulgaria How does an organization, such as Global Village, which actually has volunteers only and no paid employees cope with its work? My company Vitapro, which produces Propectin – the world’s only product of this type which flushes out toxins from the body – actually carries the whole burden. There are plenty of people working for Global Village, but there are zero administration costs. All the bills are paid by me and Propectin. Some of the people working for the company are volunteers. This shows there are plenty of good people in the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad people, as well. You intended to place refugees in houses in depopulated Bulgarian villages, however, your idea provoked social discontent. In your opinion, why did that happen and will you fight for this idea? In Bulgaria the economy is not great. And maybe some people feared the refugees would take away their jobs. I can see how difficult the life of Bulgarians is. I have a manufacturing plant in Bulgaria and the employees share with me that the labour market has collapsed. I want to tell something to
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Bulgarians – you should not be afraid! Bulgaria is a marvelous country and Bulgarians should be more enterprising. Only then will there be a job for everyone – for both Bulgarians and refugees.
In Bulgaria you work together with Dr. Zdravko Georgiev and his wife Christiana Valcheva. What is your personal connection with the case of the Bulgarian nurses arrested in Libya a number of years ago? I have known Zdravko and Christiana since 2007. They are terrific people. They both are volunteering to care of the refugees. Christiana is a nurse. Zdravko is a medical doctor. Both were held hostage by Libya on a false charge of being responsible for spreading HIV to hundreds of children. I was one of the people who met with then Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to help secure their release. Upon their release, we became friends and they continue to help others. They are wonderful, caring people. During your visits to our country, what do you see in the eyes of the refugees? I see fear. I see people who are hurt. I see people who are in shock, who are scared and are in pain. Their worlds have been turned upside down. We are trying to do everything we can to help them.
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In the rented house for refugees in the town of Bankya
What are the future projects of Global Village? Which of them concern Bulgaria and in what way? I am a very active person and I always have thousands of ideas. One person can hardly change the world, but a lot of people, united by a common idea, can do it. As for now, I would rather prefer not to disclose the plans of my Foundation. But I hope that our example of helping people will be followed. We are ready to cooperate with other organizations and we will highly appreciate the contribution of anyone who would like to help. There are so many suffering people in the world. Only when we help each other, will the world become a better place. Nobody is insured against something bad happening to him tomorrow – last year Bulgaria itself was a victim of numerous natural
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disasters. Our foundation did its best to help the regions affected by the floods. We distributed mineral water. Where will the foundation help – that depends on where our help is needed. Unfortunately, Bulgaria still needs our support.
Taking stock of the past, what is your assessment today, 20 years after the creation of the organization? We have come a long way since my wife Yvette and me, along with the boxing legend Muhammad Ali, first started Global Village in 1995. In January this year we reached the main goal we set long ago – we hit a billion meals we’ve given away around the world to people in need. And today we are saving even more lives. I believe we’re making a big difference every day. Is it money that makes the world go round? Money can be used for either evil or good. In my case, I am using my money in order to help people. Money is making it possible for so many people and even whole families to survive.
____________________________________ I, the undersigned Merdjanova certify the fidelity of the translation I have made from Bulgarian into English of the document attached hereto – an article
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entitled “Yank Barry: The billionaire philanthropist with a picturesque biography in a special interview for Jenite.bg!”, Kristina Nesheva, March 24, 2015, 14:31, Jenite.bg Internet site. The translation consists of 7 pages.