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Speech by the President of Varna Free University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krasimir Nedyalkov to the graduates of the Class of 2024
13 June 2025
Dear Academic Management,Dear lecturers and employees of Varna Free University,
Dear parents and guests,
Dear graduates of the Class of 2024,
Today is one of the most special holidays in the calendar of our academic family — the graduation of the Class of 2024. This is the class that began its studies in the global pandemic - the most uncertain and worrying period of our time. It was then, together, that we turned the crisis into an opportunity and made a true University of the Future - innovative, creative and socially responsible. We showed that we are a community capable of withstanding the trials of life and emerging from them stronger, wiser and more connected.
You are the ones who proved that knowledge does not only require buildings but also big hearts and strong minds. That a university is not just an institution but a living community. And that sometimes the greatest lessons do not come from textbooks but from the way we deal with a crisis, with uncertainty and with ourselves. Thanks to your support and energy, we have preserved the most important thing - health, faith and the future.
Dear graduates, you are a symbol of this future. Your diploma today is not only a sign of your academic growth, but also a testament to the power of your adaptation and maturation. Stephen Hawking says: 'Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.' You have already shown you possess that intelligence.
Today, when you set off on your path, you have knowledge, and with it — an accurate value compass. It will guide you, help you succeed and change. This inner guide is necessary in the world of paradoxes in which we live - a world in which we have access to inexhaustible knowledge, but four out of ten Bulgarians admit that they do not read; we build libraries but rarely enter them; we recognize the need for sustainability but we consume without measure. The issues surrounding peace and war, the introduction of the euro, social divisions, changing labour markets — all this requires serious competence and the right direction. The real battles today are not about currency but about values. Because lasting foundations in life are built with honesty, respect and responsibility.
Our generation knows that the world has changed. But we believe that it is you who can make it better and fairer. Do not expect it to be easy, but insist on it being meaningful. Dream but not in a naïve way. Be realistic but not cynical. Work but don't forget "why". Don't let pragmatism kill your faith in good ideas. Don't let fear or consumer inertia deprive you of the freedom to choose, to make mistakes and to grow. 'Don't resign! Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice.' says Steve Jobs. Therefore - be conscious in your choices - what you will keep, what you will change, what you will develop, what you will create.
Dear parents,
It is also your holiday today. You have been the pillar, the support and the quiet force behind every achievement of your children. Thank you for your patience, trust and faith in them.
Dear graduates,
Today I congratulate you but I also entrust you with our hope. Your mission does not end here - it is just the beginning. You need to apply what you have learned with responsibility, to uphold principles and to create meaningful solutions for society.
You are ready to be the generation that will make and govern the future.
Varna Free University - your Alma Mater, will always be a home for you - both in an academic and spiritual way. Be proud of yourself as we are proud of you.
Good luck, Class of 2024!
Happy Graduation!