Elin Pelin Mayor Bans Halloween Celebrations in Schools, Kindergartens and Ccommunity Centres

The mayor of Elin Pelin Municipality issued an order banning the celebration of Halloween in schools, kindergartens and community centers on the territory of the municipality, citing respect for 1 November – the Day of the National Awakeners, one of Bulgaria’s most symbolic cultural holidays.

As part of the tradition, 1 November is marked with great solemnity in Elin Pelin, featuring a thanksgiving service and torchlight procession attended by hundreds of residents from the town and surrounding villages, along with pupils, teachers, athletes, community performers and clergy.

“In my view, the Day of the National Awakeners should be a national holiday, because it is then that we pay tribute to the guardians of the Bulgarian spirit – those who once ignited the spark of national identity and those who keep it alive today. That’s why in Elin Pelin we choose to celebrate the light of knowledge and patriotism, not the shadows of foreign customs,” said Ivaylo Simeonov, Mayor of Elin Pelin Municipality.

For the ninth consecutive year, the municipality will bring together all generations for a town-wide celebration that has become a symbol of patriotism, spirituality and gratitude.

This year, more than 1,000 torches will light the path of the procession, turning the town into a glowing symbol of memory, learning and national spirit.