President to Honour Leading Bulgarian Cultural Figures with Honorary Badge Ahead of National Awakeners’ Day

On the eve of National Awakeners’ Day, President Rumen Radev will award distinguished Bulgarian cultural figures with the Presidential Honorary Badge at ceremonies in the Coat of Arms Hall at the Presidency, the President’s Office announced on October 31.

The distinction will be presented to leading personalities from theatre, music, visual arts, academia and the community-centre (chitalishte) movement.

In recognition of their significant contribution in the fields of science, education, culture, and art, and on the occasion of milestone anniversaries, honours will be given to distinguished Bulgarian artist Emil Stoychev, world-renowned scholar and cultural historian Prof. Ivan Marazov, musician and composer Atanas Stoev, noted philologist Prof. Kostadin Dinchev, folk singer Binka Dobreva and prominent philosopher and public intellectual Prof. Vasil Prodanov.

The Honorary Badge will also be awarded for outstanding service to historian Svetlozar Eldarov, ballet artist, educator and cultural figure Boyko Nedelchev, community-centre leader Maria Zlatkova, academic Prof. Georgi Mihov and Lieutenant Colonel Radi Radev, long-serving chief conductor of the Representative Guards’ Wind Orchestra.

Earlier, the President’s press office announced that on 1 November — National Awakeners’ Day — a ceremony raising the Bulgarian national flag will take place at 10:30 in front of the Presidency. President Radev and Vice-President Iliana Iotova will attend, with the President receiving the National Guard Unit. The Presidency will open its doors to the public, with Radev and Iotova personally welcoming the first visitors to the Presidency at 'Dondukov' 2.