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Students and lecturers from Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar “ commemorated March 3rd with a hike to Shipka Peak and a series of initiatives.
04 April 2026
Students and lecturers from Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar“ took part in the celebrations of Bulgaria’s National Day – March 3rd through a series of initiatives dedicated to the Bulgarian freedom, history, and national memory.
As is tradition, the university’s academic community organized a hike to Shipka Peak. This year marked the 16th edition of the initiative, bringing together 47 students, lecturers, and staff members, including international students. They laid a wreath at the Freedom Monument on Shipka Peak and paid tribute to the heroes. The hike was organized by the university’s Student Council.
During the visit, Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Marinov, a lecturer in Bulgarian language at the university’s Department of Foreign Language Teaching and Postgraduate Qualification, presented key moments from the battles at Shipka Peak and spoke about the life and legacy of Nikolay Stoletov, known as the “General of the Bulgarians.” For the international students, the information was translated in English by Teodora Lalova, a lecturer in English at the department. Participants learned more about the heroism of the Bulgarian volunteers and the significance of the Shipka epic for the outcome of the war, as well as about works by Bulgarian poets and writers dedicated to the defenders of Shipka.
As part of the initiative, participants visited the National Museum "Hristo Botev" in the town of Kalofer, where they learned about the life and work of the poet, revolutionary, and publicist Hristo Botev. The group also toured the Shipka Memorial Church in the town of Shipka, a symbol of gratitude to those who perished in the War of Liberation.
In Varna, university representatives also joined the official celebrations. Yani Yanev, Vice President of the university, Prof. Galina Shamonina, Dean of “Student Life and Event Organization,” members of the Student Council, and students took part in the festive procession in the Sea Garden, where they laid wreaths and flowers at the memorials of the liberating soldiers.
The celebrations in Varna continued with the concert-performance “One Breath Nation” at the Festival and Congress Centre. The programme featured the Academic Dance Theatre of the university, representative ensembles, a bagpipe orchestra, and the choir of the Konstantin Preslavski Secondary School of Humanities and Arts.
On the occasion of the national holiday, a different perspective on March 3rd was also presented. The team of the program Znanie.BG on BNT 2 spoke with several international students studying at the university about the significance of March 3rd, national holidays in their home countries, and the meaning of freedom. The report featured Adeline Perle Lezini Atangana from Cameroon, Esther Raji from Nigeria, and Samsul Arifen and Mehedi Hasan from Bangladesh.
Through their participation in the initiative, the students and lecturers of Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” demonstrated respect for the national memory and historical traditions, while creating an opportunity for international students to connect with Bulgarian history.
