On the Day of People’s Awakeners, November 1, Levski Volleyball Club opened its own library. It is located in the home of the “blues”, the sports hall “Levski Sofia”. The official opening began in the champion’s corner in the hall, where there were also books next to the trophies won. The three leading factors of VC “Levski” were present – David Davidov, Vladimir Nikolov and Atanas Garov, Hristo Blazhev, who selected and donated nearly 500 books for the launch of the library, and the popular Bulgarian director and playwright Yavor Gurdev.
The senior coach and captain of the champions of the men’s volleyball team of “Levski” participated in the event – Nikolay Zhelyazkov and Svetoslav Gotsev, who had the honor to symbolically open the door of the “Levski Sofia” library itself in the sports hall.
Talents from the “Levski” school were also present at the opening – girls and boys from the under-16 and under-18 teams.
As people who love sports and books, David Davidov and Atanas Garov announced that this is another dream come true for the Levski volleyball family, for the club, which has a mission not only to build athletes at the best level, but also successful individuals outside the playing field field. They thanked all the people and partners with whom they share similar values, in order to play sports at a high level, but also to develop thinking, dignified people. Special thanks went to Hristo Blazhev. For his donation and overall support for the creation of the library, he was surprised with a “Golden Card” of “Symishlenik” of the “Levski Sofia” volleyball club.
“Thank you to Levski volleyball club, to everyone who gave me a chance to do this miracle together. I want to say something especially to the young people in the club. When I was your age, two things were important to me – sports and books. The sport in the form of the volleyball. Of course, I didn’t have your talent, I didn’t have that height, maybe things would have turned out better for me. But I’m doing books, which is very important for me. But you have the will, the talent and this amazing place “Levski Sofia”, in which you also have your own library one day I will have to make books for you,” said Hristo Blazhev.
“Happy holiday. I hope that many of you will take advantage of this wealth, this treasure that we already have. Books, reading – they also help in volleyball. Volleyball is a game where we often have to imagine what he will do the adversary in order to counter it in the best way. And reading develops the imagination. Something that is not achieved by watching TikTok and YouTube,” said Vladimir Nikolov.
“Happy holiday to all Bulgarians. The opening of the library is another great initiative at “Levski”. Books are a window to the world. They enrich the imagination, develop a person in all aspects. They certainly help in life. In volleyball, decisions related to predicting moves. Books can also help in the game of volleyball, because they develop thinking. But even if we abstract from the direct influence on the game, the initiative is great, there are really great titles in the library, and books will develop those young people who are training at the club,” said Nikolay Zhelyazkov.
“I have read different genres. And yes, today I like to read fiction, also historical books. These are the two genres that I love the most. In my coaching career, the book that has left the biggest impression, especially for volleyball, this is Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”, added the coach of the Levski men’s team champions.
Captain Svetoslav Gotsev entered the library with three books as a gift from him. ”Happy holiday to everyone. The books I decided to give as gifts are from my personal collection. Because I am interested in history and I read a lot, the first book is “Under the yoke”. I also open a parenthesis – we should not learn to hate because of circumstances from past years, but we must surely know history, learn from it, and pass it on to future generations. History is what it is, it cannot be rewritten, for better or for worse. The second book I have chosen, is “Bai Gagno”. Unfortunately, we should
know it, but with faith and hope that these types are no longer in fashion. The third book is very valuable to me. It is “A collection of non-literary words and expressions from Breznik, Breznik, where I grew up. It is very valuable to me. It contains many words that I myself have not been interested in.” , to enrich my dialect vocabulary. Dialects are something we should not be ashamed of. Our language is enriched by them. In the East and in the West, they speak differently,” said Svetoslav Gotsev.
“I congratulate everyone on the new important acquisition for the club. I hope there will be interest in reading from the youngsters,” added the captain of the champions.
“Opening a library from a sports club is a wonderful thing. You know that even the ancient Romans said: Mens sana in corpore sano, which means “A healthy mind in a healthy body”. They themselves never separated culture from sports. On the contrary, they think , that the two things do not just go hand in hand, but are part of a whole. That’s why I welcome the opening of a library in the Levski volleyball club. I also thank Hristo Blazhev for the donation. I will join with a personal gift to the library, a very important book – “Exaltation” by Milen Ruskov. More important than this library, which will continue to expand, is that it will contain common places, places of common interest, shared spiritual spaces,” said director Yavor Gardev.
Education is a key value for “Levski Sofia”. Among the faithful “teammates” of the volleyball club is the “Together in Hour” foundation. And the club supports her mission to ensure quality education for all children in Bulgaria. “Levski Sofia” donates 10% of the revenues and donations under the “Symishlenik” program to support the work of the foundation. So again, all the people who decided to support the club’s mission to build successful athletes and people, also support the quality education of our children. “Levski Sofia” also supports the educational plans of the athletes by creating agreements with leading universities in the USA, where young athletes can continue their development.
And as if completely naturally, it came to November 1, 2024 – the opening of the “Levski Sofia” library, where the books will be available to the competitors and the club’s team. A special section has also been created on the club’s website, where volleyball players and coaches receive complete information about the books in the library.
And the biggest victory even on the opening day was not the fact that “Levski” became the first sports club in Bulgaria with its own library. When the official opening ended and the various teams settled into their normal rhythm, the library hall was full of reading young athletes – tomorrow’s volleyball stars and successful people.
The newly opened library at “Levski Sofia” is a significant milestone for the club, as it becomes the first sports club in Bulgaria to establish such a facility. Svetoslav Gotsev, the captain of the champions, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasizing its importance for young athletes and encouraging them to engage with reading.
Yavor Gardev, the director, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the inseparable relationship between culture and sports, a principle dating back to ancient Rome. He announced a personal contribution to the library, donating a noteworthy book titled “Exaltation” by Milen Ruskov, and praised the library’s potential to serve as a shared spiritual space for athletes.
Education is a core value for “Levski Sofia,” which actively supports initiatives like the “Together in Hour” foundation, contributing 10% of its revenues to promote quality education for children across Bulgaria. The club also facilitates educational opportunities for its athletes, forming agreements with prestigious universities in the USA to enable their continued academic development.
The library’s opening on November 1, 2024, marked a proud moment for “Levski Sofia,” as it welcomed both competitors and the club’s team to utilize the resources available. The commitment to fostering a culture of reading among young athletes was evident, with many budding volleyball stars seen engaging in the library’s reading area, emphasizing the club’s dedication to shaping not just successful athletes but well-rounded individuals.