About two weeks ago, during the days when Bulgaria was commemorating the 148th anniversary of the outbreak of the April Uprising, the Bulgarian Consul General in New York, Angel Angelov, received an invitation from Patrick Derham, chairman of the board of trustees of the William Gladstone Library, to participate in a presentation in New York about the library dedicated to the renowned four-time British Prime Minister. The library serves as a model for American presidential libraries. The invitation explicitly referenced Gladstone’s connection to Bulgaria and expressed an intention to organize a presentation of the library in Bulgaria.

The British politician is the most prominent figure in England and Europe who drew attention to Bulgaria during 1876–77. Gladstone became the political leader of public outrage in England over the atrocities committed during the suppression of the April Uprising and championed the Bulgarian cause before Parliament and public opinion—through parliamentary debates, numerous speeches, and pamphlets such as “The Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East” (1876), in which he condemned the atrocities of the Ottoman Empire against Bulgarians.

At the event, held at the artistic (and aristocratic) “The Century Club,” brief remarks were delivered by Patrick Derham, Charles Gladstone—great-great-grandson of William Gladstone—and the world-renowned historian Niall Ferguson, who has taught at prestigious universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, New York University, Harvard, Stanford, and others.

It was noted that the library offers scholarships specifically intended for Bulgarian (and Armenian) researchers, including “The Gladstone Scholarship” and “The Canon Symonds Memorial Scholarship” (for more information, visit https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/).

The presentation was also part of the institution’s efforts to ensure the financial sustainability of the library dedicated to the distinguished British politician and friend of the Bulgarian people.

The Bulgarian diplomat was accompanied by Mrs. Nelly Gibson, who, along with her husband Robert, was honored by the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, with a special award for their significant contribution to the development of philanthropy in Bulgaria in the field of education.