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множество въпроси. Разтърсва ни както lay the foundations of our modern relationship.
никога досега. Образователните системи и My address today is dedicated to this great teacher
университетите ни ще трябва да намерят and this embodiment of Bulgaria-India relations.
отговорите, които обществото очаква. В Education and the pursuit of learning serve
тези бурни води наша пътеводна светлина multiple purposes. At a basic level, they satisfy
ще бъдат нашите университети. В историче- human curiosity and the quest to understand
ски план, България и Индия винаги са били the universe much better. Yet, the outcomes of
средища и на традициите, и на промяната. learning are also relevant to solving immediate
Нашите общества имат здрави устои и дълга problems and meeting challenges in our socie-
памет. Ние сме и острови на стабилност в ties. The focus of our education system, of our
нашите региони – на Балканите и в района на knowledge production and of our broader social
Индийския океан. На нас, на нашите наро- and economic efforts is to secure a meaning-
ди, на нашите млади хора – като студентите, ful future for our younger generations – both
събрани тук, се пада да доизградим едно още in employment potential and in contributing to
по-пълноценно партньорство. Нашите ци- social well-being. Here Bulgaria and India have
вилизации са древни, а нациите ни са млади common concerns and common aspirations.
– знаем си цената и разбираме ценностите си. The 21st century is an era of dramatic techno-
На такъв процес най-успешно начало могат logical change. The technology and digital revolu-
да дадат университетите. Нека изследовател- tion is being led by young people from campuses.
ският дух и жаждата за знания да сплотява The university campuses of the 21st century are
българските и индийските студенти, и нека not just providers of degrees but also hubs of in-
сплотява народите ни все по-крепко. novation and entrepreneurship and incubators of
start-ups and small businesses driven by techno-
Education as an logy and by creative minds buzzing with ideas and
designing game-changing apps. This is a revolu-
Instrument of Change tion playing out in real time in India. It has made
India the world’s third-largest innovation and
and Shared Prosperity start-up hub. And it has made India the fastest-
growing large economy. The surge in technology
and knowledge-driven industries has implications
Ram Nath Kovind beyond the lab and beyond the board-room.
The 21st century shakes our certitudes as
Address by the Honourable President of India perhaps no previous century has. Our education
at Sofia University, September 5, 2018. system and universities will have to respond and
provide answers that our societies seek. And our
I am happy to be here at Sofia University universities will be our navigators through this
“St. Kliment Ohridski”, the premier institution roller-coaster ride. Historically, Bulgaria and
of higher learning in Bulgaria. For me this is India have been centres of tradition as well as
the appropriate institution to meet the student change. We are societies with deep reserves and
community of Bulgaria and share thoughts on long memories. We are also anchor nations in our
what our people can do together. Scholarship and respective regions – in the Balkans and in the In-
learning are the building blocks of any meaning- dian Ocean Region. It is for us, for our people, for
ful international relationship – as is certainly the our young people such as the students before me,
case between Bulgaria and India. to make our partnership even more meaningful.
It is a coincidence that I am here on Sep- We are old civilisations and young nations – we
tember 5th. In India, this is commemorated as know each other’s value, and we understand each
Teachers’ Day in honour of Dr S. Radhakrishnan, other’s values. And this process begins best when
who was one of my distinguished predecessors as it begins on our university campuses. May that
the President of India. He was a scholar statesman spirit of inquiry and that instinct of learning bind
and philosopher of rare eminence. In 1954, as Vice the students of Bulgaria and India – and may it
President of India, he visited Bulgaria, and helped bind our nations in an even closer association. 1

1 The text in English is an abstract. – e.n.