Since the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine and NATO, Pacifism and anti-Western sentiments have been on the rise in Bulgaria. Bulgarian Russophiles for Peace (theangel.today)
The rhetoric about peace and the deep bonds between Bulgaria and Russia appears in different forms. As Pazardzhik it intends to submit one of the most innovative forms of preserving the status quo (the bloodless preservation of the old communist regime). A form that has dominated Bulgarian politics and society since 1989.
The biggest project for Peace among Peoples in Pazardzhik
"Our ambition is to make this not only the largest garden in Bulgaria, but also in Europe - in terms of area and tree species. Why are we doing this? - This is an initiative, a message that will connect all countries. Pazardzhik will show how countries can unite, not divide." Todor Popov
At a time when NATO and the EU are at war with Russia, and the mood in Bulgaria is decidedly pro-Russian, in Pazardzhik, a large-scale project began, reminiscent visually and ideologgicaly of the largest project for Peace from the time of late Communism (when it was clear that the system was collapsing) - Assembly Banner of Peace, which was to unite different countries in Bulgaria for Peace. Тодор Попов: В източната част на Острова ще изградим „Градин... (marica.bg)
"I am happy to be able to share with you this idea of ours and to officially invite Morocco to have its own corner in the Gardens of the World. It is the commitment of the Municipality of Pazardzhik to take care of the plants and every year on the holiday of the respective country we will make a presentation of the country with its history, traditions, culture and food. With these Gardens of the World, the message we want to send is one of peace," said Todor Popov to H. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Bulgaria. В Градините на света ще има кът и на Кралство Мароко : Вестник Знаме - новини Пазарджик и областта (zname.info)
We will combine everything here - a little bit of Singapore, a little bit of Dubai, a little bit of us - we will have a garden of Bulgaria. I am most annoyed that we have no self-confidence. We always think that somewhere else is doing things better than us. Well, no, they don't do them better. We need self-confidence - something I want to do here. These gardens will become a European attraction, I am not talking idle talk.
We have a very beautiful feature called the Island Park. This park was donated to the municipality just after the Liberation by a Turkish Bey who had left(1878, a large part of the Turkish population fled Bulgaria after the entry of the Russian troops, leaving all their movable and immovable property. In the town of Pazardzhik and the surrounding area there is a complete demographic change. The nationalization of property and appropriation was on a much larger scale than the second entry of the Russian Liberation Army in 1944 and the installation of the Communist Regime). It is a space of over 520 acres that the r. Maritza surrounds with two sleeves and is therefore called an island. Now they are digging there, burying the first 800 thousand BGN (which are from the subsidy for capital expenditures from the state - ed.). In total it will be about 2 million BGN - fountains, stage, etc.
Sri Chinmoy and the Torchbearers for Peace
Today in Pazardzhik, another sect of the Asian Unification Church family, Sri Chinmoy, looms large at the level of the Mayor and millions of public projects. Under his patronage, awards are given out and a megalomaniacal Peace Park is being built in the city today, on a scale inferior only to the work of the Banner of Peace Assembly, the Minister of Culture of Communist Bulgaria in the 1980s-Ludmila Zhivkova.
The Sri Chinmoy Centre Church, which has opened branches in Russia in 80 cities, is widely known in the West as a pseudo-religious totalitarian sect. It is of interest to us because, like Moon, it has a strong interest in the figure of Mikhail Gorbachev. He, unlike Moon, condemns the collapse of the USSR and prophesies its soon reunification under a new spiritual name he has coined: the Boat-Dream-Bank. Seeking a strong bond, Sri Chinmoy looks to Michael Gobachev, about whom he has just written a major book. Russian adepts, commissioned by the guru, spent a year collecting pictures of the father of perestroika, banging on the doors of news agencies. They illustrate the book about Gorbachev. If we recall, the media speculated about Gorbachev's dreams of becoming UN Secretary General, then Sri Chinmoy's attempts to interest him in his person become more understandable. Shri Chinmoy initially organized Peace Meditations at the UN, and in a short time found strong patrons there, at which point his NGO was listed with the UN and he was allowed to use the logo of the international organization, which he cleverly used to create a global network of local authorities eager to get quick PR. Sri Chinmoy installed "Sri Chinmoy Peace Places" all over the planet, which are dedicated to him personally and are under his tireless meditative protection. On the one hand, this underlines his unearthly origin, but on the other hand, it allows him to conduct earthly affairs, since at the dedication of parks, mountains, cities, etc., a special declaration is signed between him and the local municipal authorities. This simple procedure allows Sri Chinmoy to enjoy the patronage of the local authorities, who in turn are interested in contacts with the 'representative of the United Nations.
Sri Chinmoy's financial activities are not as well researched as those of other totalitarian cults. Sources report that he owns a chain of vegetarian restaurants and organic food production. From what sources he finances grand sporting and musical events and all ideological and propaganda activities is unknown.
Sri Chinmoy belongs to the totalitarian cults of the family of the South Korean Moon, a church that has been linked to Pazardzhik since the dawn of democracy with one of the most influential people after 1989, the Pazardzhik PhD graduate from Moscow, Russia and father of Bulgarian democracy - Stoyan Ganev. More about him on..Stoyan Ganev: The Beautiful Mind Bulgarian Politics as a Totalitarian Religious Cult (theangel.today)
The ideology of the Unification Church - Rome is Satan - we will defeat the "innumerable satanic forces" and create the "perfect family". To quote Moon:
"We need a new ideology capable of uniting all religions and all ideologies existing in the world. The new ideology that the Unification Church brings is 'deism.' This is my highest mission. The sacred mission that God has entrusted to me."
"The satanic world is run by businessmen. That's why God has to send his superbusinessman."
"The Messiah must be richer than everyone else."
According to Moon, Christ lost to Satan because he gave up earthly power. He did not have to turn to the poor, but to the rich and powerful of his day to become king of the Jews and destroy the Roman Empire, the spawn of Satan.
Sri Chinmoy as well as Moon are very close to the last leader of the USSR- Gorbachev. As their ideology overlaps the spiritual views of the daughter of the Communist Dictator of Bulgaria until 1989, Todor Zhivkov- Lyudmila Zhivkova. More about her ideology, and her desire to turn Communism into a religion: Anti System Cults- The New Old Terrorism (theangel.today)
The Biggest Historical Project in Bulgaria with Pazardzhik Participation
I am the most scrutinized mayor in Bulgaria in every way - personal finances, my wife. Everybody looks at me, checks me. With this house they made me famous. Who doesn't have a house, do you know how much one acre in Patalenitsa costs - this is not Monaco, it costs 5 thousand/acre. My wife was chewed out by checks - she made this big park ("Historical Park" - Ed. note) with some people from Varna, they are developing, it has scale.Интервю | Тодор Попов, кмет на Пазарджик: За мен се говорят легенди, но моите избиратели мислят по правилния начин (capital.bg)
The Original Garden of Peace Idea in Bulgaria
In 1976, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the General Assembly declared 1979 the International Year of the Child. Bulgaria supports the decision and expresses its wish to take an active part. At the suggestion of Lyudmila Zhivkova, at that time Chairwoman of the Committee for Art and Culture, the "Banner of Peace" movement was launched and the organisation of the first International Children's Assembly began.
The project was united by the motto "Unity, Creativity, Beauty", borrowed from the philosophical system of the Russian artist and philosopher Nikolai Roerich, who in the mid-1970s launched the idea of annual reviews of children's creativity. In addition to Lyudmila Zhivkova, as its chairperson, the Assembly's initiative committee includes famous personalities and artists such as Dechko Uzunov, Svetlin Rusev, Panteleye Zarev, Sergei Mikhalkov, Gianni Rodari, Yifra Neiman, and others.
Thus, from 16 - 25 August 1979, the whole of Bulgaria was a children's assembly. The capital welcomes the colourful, noisy, singing, drawing, dancing company of boys and girls who communicate with the universal language of talent and smiles. In addition to the thousands of participants, there are numerous invited journalists from all over the world engaged in covering the various initiatives. The organisation of the event, generously funded by the State, is exceptional.
On the last day of the 10-day international children's festival, the "Banner of Peace" monument was unveiled in the Bells area near Sofia. The impressive monument was erected in just 30 days and became one of the symbols of the forum. Listen to the speech by Amadou-Mukhtar M'Bow, Director-General of UNESCO and Patron of the Assembly, delivered at the ceremony. A "Although different in culture and colour, peoples have the same aspirations for peace, freedom and universal understanding. This memorial is an expression of faith..."
The monument stands 37 metres tall at its centre and is made up of 4 vertical concrete pylons pointing in the four directions of the world. At the top, they form a large aerial sphere, within which are suspended 7 bells symbolising the seven continents. At the bottom there are another 20, called the "singers", on which musical pieces can be played along with the main 7. It is surrounded by two horizontal semicircles 60 metres long, where the bells donated by the participating countries are hung. This is how the bells were rung on the day of the opening ceremony on 25 August 1979.
Thus ends the first international children's assembly "Banner of Peace". Although its inspirer Lyudmila Zhivkova died in 1981, three more were held - in 1982, 1985 and 1988. The total number of participants was impressive - about 4 thousand children from 138 countries and more than 14 thousand Bulgarian children. Reputable international organizations such as UNESCO and UNICEF supported the Peace Flag Assembly, and in 1987 the United Nations honored it with the title of Messenger of Peace.
