In 2018 Sofia will host Volleyball Men’s World Championships. “We have earned that thanks to the successful performances of our national team and our players”, said Sofia’s Mayor Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova, who accepted the hosting of the World Championship, together with the Minister of Sports, Mr. Krasen Kralev. Bulgaria will co-host the championship with Italy, as the venues are in the capital cities Sofia and Rome, as well as in Varna, Ruse, Milan, Florence, Turin, Bologna and Bari. “In 2018 Sofia will also be the European Capital of Sport and we will be honoured to welcome all the players, their teams and the volleyball fens”, Mayor Fandakova added.

The Italian Minister of Sports Luca Lotti, the World Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Second Executive Vice-President Aleksandar Boričić and the President of the Italian Olympic Committee Giovanni Malagò, also participated in the presentation in Rome. The volleyball federations were represented by the President of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation Eng. Dancho Lazarov and the Vice-President Lyubomir Ganev, the president of the Italian Volleyball Federation Pietro Bruno Cattaneo and representatives of the Italian steering committee for the championship.

The Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality Assoc. Prof. Dr. Todor Chobanov and the Chairman of the Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria – Shalom Dr. Alexander Oscar will open a commemorative plaque in the yard of the former European Hospital, in the memory of the Jews.