site.btaToday's Observances: December 2-3

December 2

The world:

• International Day for the Abolition of Slavery;
• National Day of Laos: Republic Day (1975);
• National Day of the United Arab Emirates: Independence Day (1971).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1851: First symphony orchestra established in Shumen.

1949: Sofia Thermal Power Plant goes into operation with 1200 MW capacity.

1985: BTA institutes Joseph Herbst journalism award to commemorate his 110th birth and 60th death anniversary. Herbst is first director of press (1908-1911).

2003: First liver cell transplant performed at Alexandrovska Hospital in Sofia (world's fourth after US, Britain and Germany).

2004: Monument to freedom fighter Captain Petko Voyvoda (1844-1900) unveiled in Rome next to Giuseppe Garibaldi monument on Janiculum Hill, marking Petko's 160th birth anniversary.

2005: Consulate General inaugurated in Shanghai.

December 3

The world:

• International Day of Persons with Disabilities;
• International Day of No Pesticides.

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1928: Act on Stabilizing the Lev and Monetary Circulation, restoring exchangeability of lev into gold, is gazetted.

1963: Diplomatic relations with UK (established at diplomatic agency level July 23, 1879, upgraded to legation level May 21, 1909, severed September 22, 1915, re-established September 27, 1920, severed March 4, 1941, re-established February 12, 1947) are upgraded to embassy level.

1985: BTA institutes Yossif Herbst Journalism Award to mark 110th years since Herbst's birth and 60 years since his assassination. Herbst was BTA's director from 1913 to 1918.

2006: GERB Party established in Sofia with Boyko Borissov as informal leader. Tsvetan Tsvetanov is elected Chairman. Registered on March 6, 2007.