The nomination of the Opera for the Annual Good Samaritan Awards 2024

News публикувана на: 05.11.2024

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On October 24, 2024, in the foyer of the Stara Zagora State Opera, a smiling newlywed - Paola Zheleva, and her friend - Mira Chorchopova, donated funds raised a month before at the wedding celebration of Paola and Ivan Zheleva. The donation was accepted by Ognyan Draganov - the Director of the State Opera - Stara Zagora, and the opera prima - Rusalina Mochukova.

The benefactors.

Benevolence.

Mira Chorchopova, the bride and groom's best friend, helped them choose a cause. The suggestion that everyone liked came from Mira's mother, Stefka Karaivanova, who is first violinist in the opera orchestra.

Paola says: "Three months before the wedding, my husband and I decided to donate the money that would be collected from the unpurchased flowers for our wedding reception to a children's organization. I am a teacher by profession. So I insisted that it be donated to children."

Her friend, Mira, adds, "I am convinced that children who have different disabilities and different social needs should be involved in different events and cultural activities and work hard because it affects their psycho-motor development very well."

More than 500 BGN is the donation that will be used to buy instruments and barbarons for seating to support the children who participate in the project of the State Opera - Stara Zagora, "We are musicians", led by the opera prima - Rusalina Mochukova, who is a licensed speech therapist, music therapist and tomatis therapist.

"We are musicians" is a project in a special space where 28 children come every Sunday with their parents. They are divided into several groups. Those of them who have disorders in different spectrums - hyperactivity or with Down Syndrome, work with Rusalina Mochukova for 12 hours, in team with other specialists.

Rusalina Mochukova, says: "Thank you to these wonderful girls for the amazing gesture to the children. This is an example of how we, with our work with children, reach out to the public, to society. It is already reacting, helping, accepting. This is most important. I can say that the children are already a family. The parents have also created a community, they share... I am very grateful to Boryana Kanidou, who is our psychologist!"

Source.

The nomination was received from the State Opera - Stara Zagora.

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History of the Annual Awards "The Good Samaritan"

In 2011, the Good Samaritan Association established the Annual Good Samaritan Awards, which joined the city of Stara Zagora and the region to the global initiatives related to the development of local cultural, historical and spiritual heritage.

During this time, 13 ceremonies have been held; 108 individual and group nominations have been received; 15 winners of the Good Samaritan Grand Prize have been selected, two of whom have been awarded 2 extraordinary prizes - 1 for outstanding contribution and 1 for heroism without limits (posthumously); 20 winners of the Good Samaritan Community Award have been selected, two of whom have been awarded posthumously; 3 prestigious Tireless Good Samaritan awards have been presented to repeat nominees; a commemorative edition of the Good Samaritan statuette with gilded wings was produced; a historical edition of the Good Samaritan statuette was produced, dedicated to the fight against COVID-19, in which the Good Samaritan wears a protective mask; a song dedicated to the Good Samaritans was created - "Song for the Good Samaritans", performed by the great Bulgarian singer Vanya Kostova and her son - Boyan Mikhailov; a postage stamp "The Good Samaritan" was issued, a special mailbox was branded, positioned at the Central Post Office - Plovdiv. The wonderful idea for the construction of a monument "The Good Samaritan" was born, for which a preliminary project has already been created.

In the book of goodness are written the names of the following winners of the annual award "The Good Samaritan": Stefan Stoychev, the rescuer from the Trakia motorway; Manuela Maleeva and Dr Bruno Franiere, the benefactors who supported children with orthopaedic problems in difficult situations; Maria Popova, who became a mother for a boy from an institution; Milen Minkov, who saved a drowning man in the furious waves of Akhtopol Bay; Krasimir Ivanov, who saved the life of an elderly man; Maria Zhekova, who donated a property for the benefit of talented children; Tanya Slavova, who became a rescuing angel for a young girl; Petko Dimov, who did not hesitate to throw himself into Lake Zagorka to pull out a drowning child; Teodor Todorov, who saved a young man after a car accident and the appearance of a deadly voltaic arc; prof. Liliya Pekova, the unifying image of the entire medical community dedicated to the fight against COVID-19; Todor Mitev, Maxim Valkov, Goran Gunchev, Dimitar Dimitrov, Atanas Barakov, Deyan Dekov, Valentin Sabev, Mitko Donchev, Ivan Ivanov, firefighters and employees of the District Fire Safety and Population Protection Service in the town of Plovdiv. Stara Zagora, together with Vidyo Videv, Miroslav Videv, Nikolay Elinov, Petko Kurtev, volunteers from block 286, who made an extra effort in extinguishing the fire on the 16th floor of the apartment building, Ruth-Constance Koynarska, who stood next to her friend Didi, so that she could step forward again, and Irena Zlateva and the members of the "Rescue Club for the Future - Stara Zagora", who helped a motorcyclist who had crashed and brought the traffic situation under control without any other incidents; for Outstanding Contribution - Jonathan and Daniela Augustine for their support of homeless children and their families and the development of Samaritanism in the region; for Heroism Without Borders (posthumously) - Plamen Petkov who saved a 5 year old girl but lost his life in the icy waters off the beach in West Wittering, Southern England.

The opportunity to nominate do-gooders will continue until 10 November, inclusive, and the Annual Good Samaritan Awards Ceremony will be held on 10 December (Tuesday), at 19:00, at the Cultural Centre - Stara Zagora.

Nominations will be accepted at dobro@samaritans.bg, and in person at. Nominations will be accepted at. "In Stara Zagora you can visit the headquarters of the Association "Samaritans" or the special mailbox of the good, positioned at the Central Post Office - Stara Zagora. In Stara Zagora.

Today, more than ever before, there are feats near us and it is time for them to be told and shown! It is up to the do-gooders to perform them, and up to us to distinguish them and pass them on to future generations!

This message is from the Samaritans Association