Balgarianovinite.com Speaking at the opening of the 23rd National Bagpipe Competition and Family Gathering in Gela, in the country’s southern Smolyan Region, on Saturday, President Iliana Iotova said that the Rhodopes are Bulgaria’s enchanted mountain range. “Everything here speaks of tradition, Bulgarian identity, spirit, and history. The Ilinden Meadows have become an altar of the Bulgarian spirit,” she noted.
Attending the event are Deputy Minister of Culture Zornitza Grekova, Smolyan Regional Governor Georgi Pepelanov, and Smolyan Deputy Mayor Mariana Tsekova.
“With every note they play, our bagpipers remind us of our proud history and why we should take pride in being Bulgarians – one of Europe’s oldest nations and peoples. The bagpipe is not only Bulgaria’s emblematic instrument; it has also become our messenger to the cosmos,” Iotova said. She noted that “next year will mark 50 years since Valya Balkanska’s otherworldly voice and the extraordinary Bulgarian bagpiper Georgi Musorliev sent their message to distant civilizations, carrying Bulgarian song, Bulgarian music, and the Bulgarian spirit” into space. “Somewhere in the silence of the universe today, the sound of the Bulgarian bagpipe and Valya Balkanska’s voice can still be heard. What greater recognition could there be for our country, our talent, and the Bulgarian people?” she said. According to Iotova, the gathering in Gela is one of the places where Bulgarian families come together, including many whose members are now scattered across the world. “They come here to remember their family heritage, the legends and traditions of their ancestors, and to pass them on to their children,” she added. Iotova also spoke of her dream “to awaken Bulgaria.” “Just as the bagpipes awakened the Rhodopes today, I hope Bulgaria will awaken as well—that all of us will awaken, join hands, and build the future our children and future generations are waiting for, so that our nation may endure, remain strong, and our homeland may thrive,” she said.
The traditional gathering in Gela celebrates one of the defining symbols of Rhodope music – the kaba bagpipe. Once again, the Ilinden Meadows above the village have become a stage for Bulgarian folklore. Bagpipers from across Bulgaria and abroad are taking part in the competition. Thousands of visitors from around the country, as well as Bulgarians living abroad, have travelled to the Rhodope village for the festival, which runs through August 2. The musical programme began at the Ilinden Meadows on Friday, while Saturday’s highlight is the bagpipe competition. Throughout the three-day event, audiences can enjoy a rich folklore programme featuring the Rhodopa Folk Ensemble, the 101 Kaba Bagpipes Orchestra, singer Svetla Dukateva, the Orpheus and Karadzhata bagpipe ensembles, and the Pamporovo Orchestra, among others.
More than 70 performers playing the djura and kaba bagpipes will take part in the competition. For the second consecutive year, the Dafo Trendafilov Award will be presented in memory of the legendary Rhodope bagpiper from Gela. Most competitors will perform on the kaba bagpipe. Performances will be judged by a panel chaired by Prof. Milcho Vasilev.
The event also features an extensive exhibition of Bulgarian producers and master artisans. Farmers and artisans from different regions of the country will present traditional Bulgarian products.
For the first time, the exhibition in Gela will feature “Farmers’ Cheese” – the first cooperative dairy product created by more than 450 Bulgarian sheep and goat farmers. President Iotova Addresses National Bagpipe Competition in Gela 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-01 09:53:00 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