Bulgaria Considers April 20th as National Day of Dignity, Marking April Uprising Anniversary
Bulgaria is considering a shift in national commemoration, with growing support for recognizing April 20th – the day the April Uprising began – as an official holiday, potentially even a national one. This proposal stems from a desire to honor the beginning of the struggle for liberation rather than focusing solely on dates of peace treaties.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the events that unfolded in Koprivshtitsa in 1876. Acting Ministers of Education and Science, Prof. Sergey Ignatov, and Culture, Nayden Todorov, have voiced their support for the change.
A Day of Bulgarian Dignity
Prof. Ignatov argues that April 20th represents the birth of the “third Bulgarian state” – the moment the Bulgarian people took their destiny into their own hands with the firing of the first gun. He emphasizes that March 3rd, although historically significant, became possible *given that* of April 20th.
Minister Todorov echoed this sentiment, stating there is a consensus within the ministry to begin preparations for April 20th to grow an official holiday.
Government Support and Funding
The government is expected to allocate approximately 1 million euros for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising.
April 20th: A Day of Attendance, Not Learning
Due to the timing – April 20th falls on the Monday immediately after the parliamentary elections, traditionally a non-school day as schools often serve as polling stations – the day will be observed as a day of attendance but not learning. This approach is intended to establish a tradition of commemorating the April Uprising.
Prof. Ignatov likened the spirit of the uprising to a boxer entering the ring, emphasizing the courage of taking a stand, regardless of the outcome. He advocates for celebrating the day as a present day, dedicated to awakening Bulgarian self-awareness and instilling a sense of heroism in students.
BAS Support and National Initiative Committee
A national initiative committee to mark the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising was established on March 13th at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). The committee will coordinate commemorative initiatives.
The committee includes prominent scientists such as Academician Georgi Markov, Academician Ivan Ilchev, Academician Ivan Granitski, member-cor. Atanas Semov, art.-cor. Alexander Kostov, and the deputy head of the BAS, Prof. Emmanuel Mutafov.
Atanas Semov noted that this anniversary is the largest Bulgaria has celebrated in the last 50 years, comparable only to the 1300th anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian state. The committee plans numerous international and national conferences and exhibitions.