16 February 2021
February 16th, at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria during a solemn ceremony, MGIMO Rector A.Torkunov received the "Golden Laurel Branch" award of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.
The Rector was bestowed this high award for his devoted service and exceptional contribution to the expansion and deepening of bilateral relations and friendly ties between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Russian Federation.
Atanas Krystin, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation, remarked that it is a great honor for him, being a graduate of MGIMO, to present Anatoly Torkunov with this award.
The badge of honor "Golden Laurel Branch" is awarded to foreign citizens or compatriots residing abroad who have made a significant contribution to the development and deepening of bilateral relations with a foreign state, by promoting international cooperation or participating in the popularization of the achievements of Bulgarian science, culture and economy abroad.
A.Torkunov noted upon receiving the “Golden Laurel Branch”: “It is a great honor for me to receive this award today. This award is not only for me, but also for a large team of faculty members who have been working with our Bulgarian students over a very long period of time, for decades”. The Rector also spoke about the Bulgarian graduates of MGIMO, many of whom have held and still hold high positions, both in Bulgaria itself and globally.
The Rector likewise emphasized that “relations with Bulgaria are of a great importance for historical reasons, and I really want these traditions of cooperation to continue, so that our interaction grows. This is made possible by our ambassadors, including MGIMO graduates, who work on a daily basis to expand these relations."
