The Rector Awarded to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kristalina Georgieva the Honorary Title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE

 The Rector Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kristalina Georgieva

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"For us your title has a special symbolic value. Your career and the management of the most important financial institution in the world - the International Monetary Fund are a proof that since its establishment more than a century ago the UNWE has been providing competitive knowledge and has been preparing leaders", outlined Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov. The Rector announced the decision of the Academic Council to award the highest honorary title of UNWE to Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva. "Welcome to our academic family again! Let our united spirit and our deep respect be your sure support in the difficult mission to manage the International Monetary Fund in the conditions of global economic, financial and political crisis", said Prof. Dimitrov.

"Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva has never interrupted her relation with the UNWE regardless of the occupied position or the institution where she has worked", said the Chairperson of the UNWE General Assembly Prof. Dr. Lalko Dulevsky and added that in all official biographies it is noted that the Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has Doctoral degree in Economics from the UNWE where she has taught as Associate Professor since 1977 to 1993. "If a hundred years after the establishment of UNWE we have to give a new evidence of the importance of the motto of the University, then such an example is Associate Professor Dr. Kristalina Georgieva who will always remind us that The Spirit Makes the Power, outlined Prof. Dulevsky.

Prof. Dimitrov awarded to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva the academic regalia of the honorary title - a scroll in Old Bulgarian and Latin and the Honorary sign of UNWE. A portrait of Kristalina Georgieva is hung on the wall in the Academic Hall where the portraits of all eminent persons honoured with the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE are hung.

"When we have people like Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva who have achieved so much we should not only be proud as Bulgarians and you should not only be proud as a university these are the people who create the brand Bulgaria. If we had more people like Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva the brand Bulgaria would be in a different orbit. I hope that jointly with your university we will be able to develop more people who will have a similar story that we can all be proud of", said the Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and outlined: "We often say that it is good for Bulgarians to go abroad to study but it is important that they come back. There is also another model - the model of Kristalina Georgieva - she helps our country from abroad more than if she is here and when Bulgaria speaks through her to the European and world institutions - the world listens".

In her academic speech Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva noted "I still remember the day I was accepted as a student of Political Economy and Sociology at the Higher Economic Institute at that time, today's UNWE and from that day my professional journey in Bulgaria and around the world began". She told about the challenges in her career path and outlined: “First the pandemic that has not gone yet and then the war in Europe. These are two unthinkable events. Before the pandemic none of us expected that the world economy would come to a halt and that the recovery would last more than two years. But even more terrible is the war which has dramatic consequences, of course, first for the Ukrainians, for their economy which will shrink by 40% this year. It has very severe consequences for Russia which will shrink by more than 10% in economic plan but it has consequences for the whole world, said Kristalina Georgieva adding that we are interdependent. "The war in Ukraine means recession in countries that are big importers of energy or food, a war in Ukraine means hunger in Africa, we cannot cope without working together, we cannot cope without thinking about the fact that the world is one united entity." Regarding how a country can become rich Kristalina Georgieva cited the words of Adam Smith: "Peace, low taxes and a good justice system".

 Dimitar Radev

"I am extremely excited because Assoc. Prof. Georgieva and I started lecturing at the Political Economy Department at the same time, we participated in a competition for associate professors together. She has demonstrated remarkable abilities and has been an asset to both the IMF and Bulgaria. We are proud of her and she is proud of us. The UNWE is not in the top 100 universities but when you open to learn about the IMF you see that the UNWE in the person of Kristalina Georgieva is at the top of the Fund", said Prof. D.Sc. /Econ./ Rumen Gechev.

Angel Stoykov

Among the official guests in the hall were the President of the National Representation of Student Councils (NRSC) Assist. Dr. Daniel Parushev, the President of the UNWE Trustees Council Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Lilyana Valcheva, the Rector's and the academic leadership of the University, members of Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva's family and the famous football player Dimitar Berbatov.

The event was also attended by the members of the UNWE Trustees Council - Maxim Behar, Petar Andronov and Martin Petkov, Vaska Baklarova, Chairperson of the Board of the Union for Private Economic Enterprise, Tsvetanka Mincheva, CEO of UniCredit Bulbank, Diana Miteva, CEO of DSK Bank, Emilia Ivanova, Deputy Director of the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria /AESB/ and Director of the National Trade and Banking High School, Boris Stankov, Iliana Tsanova, Deputy Director General of the Directorate General for Budget at the European Commission, Vesela Stamboliyska from the World Bank, Nikola Bakalov, CEO and Chairperson of the Management Board of Fibank, Antonia Ninova and the journalist Nikolay Kanchev. Among the guests was also Veneta Angelova who was a class teacher of Assoc. Prof. Kristalina Georgieva.

 In front of the Wall of Fame

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General: "My friend Kristalina Georgieva has always been a tireless defender. Kristalina, on behalf of all your friends in the UN, please accept our warmest congratulations!"

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation: ’’There are few who have contributed to the field of development with the passion, drive and intellect that Kristalina has demonstrated for more than two decades since I have known her.''

Mr José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission 2004-2014: "I know her ability but I also know her passion. A passion that she puts into everything she does. She also always puts people's interest first. Congratulations, Kristalina".

Melinda French Gates, co-chairperson  of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: 'Congratulations, Kristalina on this well-deserved award! The way you strategically navigate the IMF is to be commended! But not only that - you are mobilising the entire global financial community".

You can watch all the greetings in the video.