Dimi Panitza loved Bulgaria; his country was always in his thoughts, even when he could not express them, the prominent journalist's wife Ivonne says.

In a phone call from Paris for the Bulgarian daily 24 Chassa (24 Hours), Ivonne further informs Mr. Panitza's explicit wish had been to be buried in Bulgaria, in the family tomb in Sofia. The funeral will take place in the beginning of October when the urn will be brought to the country.

John-Dimitry Panitza, prominent Bulgarian journalist, patriot, and public figure, passed away Friday, at the age of 80.

His wife further spoke about the cancer and the deteriorating health of Panitza, especially in the last 3 weeks over the metastases.

Before the cremation, masses dedicated to the prominent Bulgarian will be served simultaneously in Paris and Sofia onTuesday.

The service in Sofia will be held at the "St. Sofia" church at 3:30 pm.

Panitza had last visited Bulgaria in the beginning of May, to take part in the meeting of the Board of the American University in Bulgaria, AUBG, as one of its members. He was also one of the University's founders and Doctor Honoris Causa

"Everything Dimi did, he did with passion; he knew that by giving a chance for quality education to young and talented people of Bulgaria, this University could change their country. Dimi was our most loyal friend," David Huwiler, President of AUBG, is quoted saying.

Dimitry-Ivan-Evstatiev Panitza was born on November 2, 1930 in Sofia. He left Bulgaria in 1948, and for a short time worked as a bank employee in Paris, before arriving in the US, where, in 1952, he began working for the Reader's Digest magazine.

Panitza's experience at the Reader's Digest lasted for 40 years. During this time, he reached the position of Managing Editor of the magazine, a post he held until 1994. He was in charge of the Europe, Middle East and Africa editions, published in some 20 languages around the world, with a total monthly circulation of 30 million copies for more than 100 million readers.

Far away from his homeland, the prominent journalist never stopped being interested in Bulgaria. He was a member of the Managing Council of the emigration organization Free Bulgarian Center. Two days after the fall of the Communist regime, he returned to Bulgaria and assisted in the founding and publishing of the newspaper "Demokratsia" (Democracy) and helped the emerging opposition in the face of the Union of Democratic Forces to become a major political formation.

People, who know him, say Panitza was an emigrant, dedicated to Bulgaria, with deep love for his country, giving it everything – his time, personality, prestige and money.

Year later, he supported the School for Politics, which encouraged the first steps of a new generation of politicians. In 1991, with his wife Yvonne, Panitza established the Free and Democratic Bulgaria Foundation (FDBF), in Sofia, whose purpose is to facilitate the process of democratization of Bulgarian society through pluralism, free press, free markets, tolerance, educated youth, and open dialogue. Its activities include: Bulgaria's first Street Children Program for homeless and unemployed youth, which was later expanded to include over 16-year-olds; Outward Bound Program, Civil Society Programs, including the establishment of Junior Achievement – Bulgaria, annual Excellence in Journalism Prizes, donations and scholarships.

The Foundation opened its own social complex "St. Sofia." In the last years it also financed the Institute for the Study of the Recent Past.

The awards for outstanding journalism "Panitza" had been bestowed for 10 years now with the goal to encourage journalists to write well, to seek and tell the truth.

Panitza has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions - honorary member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, a recipient of AUBG's honorary degree Doctor Honoris Causa, the highest Bulgarian state medal, Stara Planina, Chevalier (Knight) of the French Order of the Legion of Honor, recipient of the Council of Europe's Pro Merito medal.

He was on the advisory council for the annual Civil Courage Prize in New York and a member of the Board of the Balkan Children and Youth Foundation.

Mr. Dimi Panitza was also a great and dear friend of Novinite.com. May he rest in peace.

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