At the heart of the initiative stands Dr. Stoyan Radkov — a European patent attorney and descendant of a Bulgarian family connected to the history of agricultural science and cultural heritage. Thanks to his donation, as well as the support of descendants of William Gladstone, Trakia University received not only the bronze statue but also a cultural and historical space that enriches the academic and cultural environment and creates a lasting connection between historical memory and contemporary education.

The event was opened by the Rector of Trakia University, Prof. Miroslav Karabaliev, who emphasized the importance of remembering the historical events of the April Uprising, their international dimensions, and the role of personal initiative. In his address, he also highlighted the symbolism of the newly unveiled monument: “The statue we are unveiling today is not merely a monument of bronze. It is a symbol of gratitude, a symbol of remembrance, and of the belief that words can save nations when spoken with moral courage and when they are supported wholeheartedly by individuals of global stature such as Gladstone. He believed that all nations are equal and that ‘what is morally wrong cannot be politically right.’”

According to him, the connection between Stara Zagora, Bulgarian spirituality, and the conscience of the world is defined by the fact that: “Before the reports of journalists Januarius MacGahan and Eugene Schuyler, the first person to visit Batak and bear witness to the atrocities committed there was Metropolitan Methodius of Stara Zagora, who described the tragedy and personally delivered information in Constantinople, thus initiating the international response that eventually reached Great Britain and Gladstone himself.”

The donation includes valuable authentic materials — an original letter by William Ewart Gladstone from 1870, five biographical books from different periods, a bas-relief, and two portraits. Its initiator, Dr. Stoyan Radkov, spoke about his personal connection to Gladstone’s legacy and the significance of the British statesman’s moral stance for the international support of the Bulgarian national cause during the 19th century. Through his public speeches and the pamphlet “Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East,” Gladstone drew the attention of the European public to the suffering of the Bulgarian people, exerting a significant influence on public opinion in Great Britain and on the international response to the April Uprising.

Guest lecturer Peter Truesdale, a historian with a research interest in the Victorian era and its archival sources, presented the role of the British statesman and his influence on political and public debate in Great Britain during the 19th century. He emphasized that the case of Bulgaria became one of the key examples of the engagement of European public opinion in defending oppressed nations during the Victorian era.

A key highlight of the program was the ceremonial unveiling of the bronze statue of Gladstone, located in the central foyer of the Rectorate. The monument is a replica of the original sculpture created around 1882 by Albert Bruce-Joy, standing approximately one meter high and weighing around 50 kilograms.

The ceremony was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kaloyan Damyanov, Regional Governor of Stara Zagora Region, Prof. Miglena Temelkova, Chairperson of the Council of Rectors, Milena Yoldova, Head of the Regional Department of Education, as well as lecturers, representatives of local authorities, and institutions.