Bulgaria marks the Day of National Revival Leaders

Every year on November 1st, Bulgaria celebrates the Day of the National Revival Leaders.

The day is devoted to enlighteners, bookmen and fighters for national liberation who preserved the spiritual values of the nation over the centuries.

On that day, Bulgarians pay tribute to those involved in teaching, studying culture or scientific work.

This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ceremonial events and celebrations in the country will be short, in most cases will be held outdoors and in compliance with the anti-epidemic measures.

Bulgaria’s President and Commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian armed forces, Roumen Radev, will greet the guard of honour unit, folowed by the hoisting of the national flag in front of the building of the Presidency in Sofia while the national anthem of Bulgaria is played.

Later, a ceremony of awarding the Presidential Badge of Honour to prominent Bulgarian scientists and cultural workers will take place.

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As of 1st of November 1923, the day of national revival leaders was made an official holiday with a decree of Tsar Boris III (King Boris III) in honour of those visionaries who made a conscious effort to preserve the Bulgarian culture and did so much to establish a sense of national pride and lay the foundation for Bulgarian liberation (from Ottoman Rule).

It was banned in 1945 after Bulgaria came under Communist rule. The celebrations were resumed in 1992. It was then officially declared as the Day of the leaders of Bulgarian national revival and is a day off for all schools in the country.

It honors the most outstanding figures of the Bulgarian National Revival.

The “Bulgarian National Revival” refers to a period of national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule. It began in the late 18th century and lasted until the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878 as a result of the Russo-Turkish war.