Meeting-Discussion with H.E. Jonathan Allen, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Bulgaria
A meeting-discussion with H.E. Jonathan Allen, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Bulgaria was held at the university. At the event at the Large Conference Hall attended the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev, Vice-Rectors, Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments, lecturers and students.
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| From the left to the right: Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Valentin Kisimov, Vice-Rector, the Rector Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev, H.E. Jonathan Allen, Prof.Dr. Veselka Pavlova, Vice-Rector, Prof.Dr. Valentin Goev, Vice-Rector |
The Rector Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev welcomed the guest and outlined some impressive facts from his biography. He emphasized on the relation between the UNWE and some British universities pointing out the Joint Master`s Degree Programme on European Business and Finance with the Nottingham Trent University in the hometown of Ambassador Allen. A lot of our students in the programme are among the best ones even at the British University, pointed out Prof. Stattev. The Rector also outlined that at the UNWE are studied ten Bachelor`s degree programmes in the English language and in the recent years the mutual exchange of students from the United Kingdom and Bulgaria had been risen. He expressed his confidence that the cooperation between the UNWE and the educational institutions of the United Kingdom and the Embassy in our country would continue developing successfully also in the future.
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| At the Large Conference Hall |
Prof. Stattev gave as a present to Ambassador Allen a facsimile from a letter to Prof. Bobchev, founder and first Rector of the university, written in October, 1923 by the School of Slavonic Studies to the King`s College of the University of London. In it the Academic Leadership had expressed thankfulness to Prof. Bobchev for he had accepted to be a Corresponding Member of the University of London. It is also eloquent the fact that in 1931 the Professor in International Law L. Brierly from the University of Oxford and Sydney Waterlow had been our guests and the English Professor had read a lecture at the university on the UN As a Factor in the International Relations, reminded Prof. Stattev.
The Rector bestowed on H.E. Jonathan Allen the Commemorative Medal of Prof. Stephan Bobchev – Founder and First Rector of the University (in the picture below).
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It is time to rise our spirit and I`m sure that your professors will help you about that, addressed to students at the hall the Ambassador. He outlined that the education is exclusively important because „the knowledge is the most valuable thing whuch no one can take from you“. Think critically so be able to go forward and to make plans and startegies, said also the Ambassador. Be more active, it is necesary to change things really to the better. Show even to the most sceptic people that you can turn the world into a really nice place to live.
Bulgaria has wonderful people and natural resources, it has great opportunities, pointed out also the Ambassador and outlined that it should be listen and spoken only the truth. Don`t stop saying the truth, ask and think critically because it leads you forward, summarized H.E. Jonathan Allen.
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| The Rector and the Ambassador |
In the Golden Book of UNWE H.E. Jonathan Allen wrote: „It is a great honour and pleasure for me to be the first British Ambassador to address to the UNWE! It is my honour and pleasure also to have the opportunity to congratulate the graduating students of Class 2014! Success to them all! My message to them today is to value their education, to think critically and do something really active with their knowledge. We all should be ready to speak always the truth!“
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| H.E. Jonathan Allen read his epistle in the Golden Book of UNWE. |
Students at the hall asked the Ambassador a lot of questions. They were interested in the necessary qualities for being a diplomat, the assessment of the Bulgarian economy development, etc.
The Rector Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev and the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom in our country H.E. Jonathan Allen laid some flowers in front of the monument of Prof. Stephan Bobchev, founder and first Rector of UNWE.
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| In front of the monument of the founder and first Rector of the university – Prof. Bobchev |
Jonathan Allen took up his post as the Exraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Bulgaria in February 2012. Before that, he was Head of the East Africa and Great Lakes Department of the FCO (2009-2011). Prior to that Jonathan established and led RICU, a cross-Government Counter-Terrorism communications unit (2007-2009), and was Assistant Director in the Home Office’s International Directorate (2006-2007) with responsibility for Bulgarian and Romanian entry into the EU.He began his career on EU issues and has been posted to Cyprus and Brussels, where he was Government Spokesman during the UK Presidency in 2005.
