Balgarianovinite.com Nine new school hymns created under the Svetilnik (Candlelight) initiative were presented at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre on Saturday. A flash mob featuring school students and the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir preceded the concert.
The concert, mottoed “Svetilnik 2025-2026: What Is the World Without a Song”, marked the culmination of the fifth edition of the national initiative for the donation of original school hymns. The audience also saw the premiere screenings of the accompanying videos, while children’s choirs and groups received Musicautor certificates for donated school hymns.
Original school hymns were presented by two schools from Sofia and one each from Blagoevgrad, Samokov, Koprivshtitsa, Kostinbrod, Ruse, Burgas and the village of Gorno Draglishte, as well as the Bolhrad High School in Odesa Region.
Among the official guests at the concert were Education and Science Minister Prof. Georgi Valchev, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) Director General Milen Mitev, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director General Milena Milotinova, Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev, and Council for Electronic Media (CEM) Chairperson Gabriela Naplatanova. Representatives of the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA) and the Ivan Vazov National Theatre were also among the partners and official guests.
Education and Science Minister Georgi Valchev said that in addition to providing knowledge and educating students, the Bulgarian school must create a spirit of community. He presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated hymn to the Lyuben Karavelov Secondary School in Koprivshtitsa (Western Bulgaria).
BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said the most important thing is for the students of the Bolhrad High School to be able to sing their new hymn in peace as soon as possible. He presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated hymn to the principal of the Georgi Rakovski Bolhrad High School, Snezhana Skorich.
Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said the most important lesson people can learn is to be kind and united, and to move forward together through all challenges. He presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated hymn to Sofia’s Bratya Miladinovi Secondary School, which was accepted by the principal, Mariana Georgieva.
BNR Director General Milen Mitev said love is needed in education and the media to achieve good results. He presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated hymn to the 11th Hristo Botev School of Blagoevgrad (Southwestern Bulgaria). The certificate was accepted by the principal, Radka Rizova.
BNT Director General Milena Milotinova said the Svetilnik initiative preserves talents, the Bulgarian spirit and national identity. She presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated hymn to the Otets Paisii Secondary School of Samokov (Southwestern Bulgaria). The document was received by the principal, Lilyana Minkova.
Musicautor Managing Director Ivan Dimitrov said that light has only one address, and it is in the heart of each person. He presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated hymn to Neofit Rilski Primary School in the village of Gorno Draglishte, Razlog Municipality. The certificate was accepted by the school’s principal, Sasho Alexandrov.
Associate Professor Tsvetelina Tsvetkova, Dean of the Faculty of Screen Arts at the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, said that as a person of the arts, she believes that art, music and theatre are key to the development of young people. She presented a Musicautor certificate for a donated school hymn to the Konstantin Velichkov 45th School of Sofia.
A Musicautor certificate for a donated school hymn was awarded to the Pancho Vladigerov National School of Music and Performing Arts in Burgas (on the Black Sea), presented by actor and television presenter Stefan Shterev and received by teacher Petko Ganchev.
A Musicautor certificate was also awarded to the Dr Petar Beron Secondary School in Kostinbrod (Western Bulgaria), presented by Musicautor Deputy Director Stoyan Mihalev.
Since its launch in 2021, the Svetilnik initiative has brought together more than 31,000 students and nearly 2,300 teachers from 20 settlements through music, creativity and shared values. It has also involved more than 190 authors and five graduating classes from the Faculty of Screen Arts of the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), which participated in producing the videos accompanying the hymns.
BTA has been a media partner of the initiative since its inception in 2021. The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Bulgarian National Television, the Bulgarian National Radio, the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre and Sofia Municipality. Nine New School Hymns Presented at National Theatre as Part of Candlelight Initiative 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-20 17:38:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law