Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Golden Laurel Branch for Shefket Chapardjiev - creator of the first Bulgarian cultural and information centre in Chicago

Photo: Bulgarian Foreign Ministry

The Consul General of Bulgaria in Chicago Ivan Anchev has awarded the Bulgarian entrepreneur and philanthropist Shefket Chapadjiev with the honorary badge "Golden Laurel Branch" - the highest award of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The award is bestowed to him on behalf of Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva for his overall activity in support of Bulgarian citizens in the Chicago area, for his indisputable contribution to the preservation of Bulgarian culture and identity and on the occasion of his 80th anniversary.

Shefket Chapadjiev left Bulgaria illegally in 1963 and a year later settled in Chicago. Known as the wealthiest Bulgarian emigrant abroad, he is the owner of one of the largest printing houses in the US. He is one of the donors to two of the Bulgarian churches in Chicago - Saint Sophia and Saint Ivan the Wonderworker of Rila. In the mid-1990s, he opened with its own funds the first Bulgarian cultural and information centre in Chicago. He also financed the creation of the first Bulgarian-language newspaper in the city called "Bulgaria".




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

GERB leader thinks there might be changes in government after July

Everything is being done to stop Bulgaria from joining the eurozone, just like 4 years ago, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said in parliament. He announced that he would not help the prime minister and ensure a majority in the National..

published on 3/19/25 10:43 AM

Bulgaria remains the country with the lowest minimum wage in the EU

Bulgaria ranks third among EU countries in terms of minimum wage growth in the period 2015-2025. According to Eurostat, during this period the minimum wage in the country increased from 184 euros in 2015 to 551 euros 10 years later...

published on 3/19/25 9:14 AM

Bulgaria is ready to provide more assistance to North Macedonia

The Bulgarian government remains ready to provide additional assistance to its friends and neighbors if they need it in this difficult time. This was what Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev told his North Macedonian counterpart Timčo..

published on 3/19/25 8:28 AM