Bulgarian Castle organizes exciting event in Republic of Turkey

During the 50th anniversary festival in Babaeski (Turkey), the owner and builder of the Castle “In Love with the Wind” Georgi Tumpalov donated to the city an exceptionally beautiful and exquisite bronze statue of the great and beloved in Bulgaria and Turkey weightlifter Naim Suleymanoglu.

During the seven-day celebrations, the Festival was visited by over 200,000 people from all over the country. The host city also turned out to be the center of a large Bulgarian community of emigrants and mixed marriages over the years, and the film “The Legend of the Castle” was screened every night with professional dubbing by everyone’s favorite actor Erkan Yavas.
The opening ceremony was attended not only by government and local government officials, but also by representatives of Bulgarian diaspora organizations, relatives of Naim Süleymanoğlu, the Bulgarian Consul in Edirne, the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and many guests and participants in the festival.

Georgi Tumpalov’s moving speech at the opening brought tears to the eyes of even the casual attendees:

It is a great honor for me to be here today – in Babaeski – to pay tribute to one of the greatest athletes in world history – Naim Süleymanoğlu.

As a person who has dedicated his life to sports, I know that true champions do not belong to just one country. They belong to all people, because they inspire us to believe that with hard work, discipline, and character, there are no impossible peaks.

Our peoples share a common history, common roots, and centuries of neighborliness. Today, this monument is a symbol not only of respect for a great person, but also of friendship, mutual respect and the power of sport to unite people across borders, languages ​​and differences.
It is an honor for me to donate this bronze statue to the city of Babaeski in the hope that it will remind every young boy and girl that dreams are achieved with hard work, and true greatness is measured not only by medals, but by the example you leave behind.
May the memory of Naim Süleymanoğlu continue to inspire future generations, and may sport always be a bridge between our peoples.