site.btaNational Awakeners' Day Greetings

Each year on November 1, Bulgaria pays tribute to those who kept alive the nation’s conscience through the centuries - its teachers, writers, scholars, clergy, and freedom fighters. The Day of the National Awakeners honours those who shaped the country’s moral and spiritual identity, who dedicated their lives to education, enlightenment, and national freedom.

At the celebration of National Awakeners' Day in Razlog, Southwestern Bulgaria, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said that what unites Bulgarians today is the search for good examples. Zhelyazkov said that young people must be nurtured with patriotism, kindness, and moral values. Teachers, he added, play a key role in this mission alongside families by inspiring faith, confidence, and the triumph of spirit.

Spirituality and enlightenment form the basis of Bulgaria’s unity, progress, and national confidence, President Rumen Radev said at a ceremony marking the National Awakeners' Day at the Coat of Arms Hall of the President's Administration on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the national flag was raised in front of the presidential building in Sofia to mark the occasion.

Radev presented honorary certificates to outstanding Bulgarian students for their achievements in education, science, art, and civic engagement, describing them as “young awakeners who already make Bulgaria proud.” He praised their perseverance and talent, emphasizing that true success is achieved “not through deceit or conformity, but through will, discipline, and dedication.”

Bulgaria still has its great figures today, people who awaken others to light, kindness, knowledge, culture, and progress every day, Vice President Iliana Iotova wrote on Facebook on the occasion of National Awakeners' Day. "Alongside the awakeners who built the Bulgarian state and nation and charted the path forward, we now have contemporary names from various fields of public, cultural, and spiritual life who keep the flame of enlightenment alive, those who thirst for knowledge, seek spiritual nourishment, and stand against injustice and ignorance," the post said.

“Be awake. Be brave. Be the people who lead toward something better,” Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said in his address on Facebook marking the National Awakeners' Day on Saturday. “Let us awaken to how beautiful our city and country are, to the opportunities before us, and work together to give our children more reasons to stay here and make us part of their success,” the Mayor added.

In a Facebook post, Deputy Prime Minister and Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Atanas Zafirov stressed the need for "awakeness - not as a memory, but as a vivid sense of direction and meaning." Zafirov added: "We live in a time of opportunity: Bulgaria is stable, part of the European cultural space, and in this environment, knowledge, education, and spirituality can once again be at the heart of social relations.”

Education and Science Minister Krasimir Valchev said in his address marking the National Awakeners' Day that National Awakeners are not only figures of the past – everyone can be one by nurturing children in kindness, patriotism, and a love of learning, the Education Ministry said in a press release. Valchev noted that in times of major change and challenges, the country relies on its contemporary awakeners – teachers, academics, scientists, and people of culture – who shape Bulgaria’s future. “Your dedication determines whether our country will merely follow or lead in creating opportunities for progress,” the Minister said.

The Continue the Change Party extended greetings to Bulgarians on National Awakeners' Day in a Facebook post Saturday. "Today we celebrate our educators, writers, revolutionaries, cultural and scientific figures. We honour the work of Bulgarians who have contributed to our education, culture, and national consciousness," the party added.

In a video address on Facebook on the occasion of National Awakeners’ Day, Vazrazhdane party leader Kostadin Kostadinov said that this day honours "the enormous sacrifice and contribution of a handful of people, thanks to whom we exist as a nation." "Being an awakener is inherent in every person, as long as they desire it. Each of us can be a national awakener, because, for better or worse, our people still need constant awakening, constant guidance, and constant good examples," the Vazrazhdane leader said.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, There Is Such a People said that National Awakeners' Day serves as a reminder of "the power of the light of knowledge." "This day reminds us how powerful the light of knowledge is, and how important it is to preserve and pass it on," the post said, as the party extended its greetings to Bulgarian citizens on the holiday.

Velichie greeted Bulgarians on National Awakeners' Day in a Facebook post. "Being an awakener is not a thing of the past. It is a battle of today," the party said. "Our awakeners stood up against foreign powers. Today, we stand up against the betrayal of our own 'dignitaries' - those who, instead of defending the people, are selling them out," the party added.