Relatives, colleagues, public figures and admirers will pay their respects to Vezhdi Rashidov today at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia. The farewell ceremony for the sculptor, artist and politician begins at 11:00 a.m.
Vezhdi Rashidov died on November 6 after a brief illness. He was 74. The news of his death was announced by people close to him, while the date and venue of the farewell ceremony were announced that same day.
Tributes from Parliament and the Cultural Community
Members of Parliament paid tribute to Rashidov with a minute of silence. The Speaker of the 52nd National Assembly, Mihaela Dotsova, described him as “the great Bulgarian artist and prominent Bulgarian sculptor, public figure, culture minister in two governments, member of several parliaments and Speaker of the 48th National Assembly.”
“I think his place in our history will be preserved,” sculptor Krum Damyanov told BTA. His words were among the reactions from representatives of the artistic community following Rashidov’s death.
Politicians, artists and cultural institutions expressed their condolences. The Speaker of the National Assembly was among those who recalled Rashidov’s public and artistic role in Bulgarian society.
A Sculptor with an International Presence
Vezhdi Rashidov was born on December 14, 1951, in Dimitrovgrad. His work included sculpture, painting and graphic art, and his works were displayed in exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad.
His works are part of the collections of the National Gallery, the Sofia City Art Gallery and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Rashidov’s works are also held in museums in Moscow and Tokyo. He also created sculptures for some of Bulgaria’s most prestigious awards in the fields of culture, media and science.
After His Artistic Career – An Active Public Life
Rashidov served as culture minister in two governments, as a member of several parliaments and as Speaker of the 48th National Assembly. Over the years, he combined his work as an artist with involvement in public and political life.
The Council of Ministers appointed a commission to oversee his funeral. It is chaired by Mihaela Dotsova, while its members include Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov and Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev.
The final farewell to Vezhdi Rashidov will take place at the National Theatre – a venue associated with Sofia’s cultural life and with the artist’s public presence.
Sources: bta.bg, 24chasa.bg, sofia24.bg