News

Sourvakane (a ritual by which the people wish each other a good health, fertility and good luck in the New Year to come using special decorated sticks -  “sourvaknitsi”)

In Veliko Tarnovo “sourvakani” were the Mayor and the Head of the Regional Educational Inspectorate. Third-graders from “Hristo Smirnenski” Elementary School, village of Vodoley accompanied by the school headmaster - Mrs. Svetlana Vankova and their teacher – Mrs. Diyana Dimitrova - singing songs, playing a scene, and dancing “horo” in the cabinet of the Mayor, wished him in Rromanes, as well as in Bulgarian a good health, happiness and prosperity about the occurrence of the Roma New Year – “St. Basil” (January 14)

The Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo invited all the children to sit on his “hot” chair, as he called it and to feel what is to be a real Mayor for a while. All the children took pictures sitting on the chair with a great excitement and joy. Mayor Daniel Panov selected a special luck from the “banitsa s kasmeti” (fortune pie), specially cooked by Centrer Amalipe. His luck was: “You will bring investors to your town and you will find work places to your citizens. You will be favorite of everyone!”  The Mayor was impressed joking that this luck was ordered. To the children were given gifts and goodies. After this visit, guided by Atanas Stoyanov and Tanya Andreeva the children visited the Regional Educational Inspectorate where they repeated the ritual in front of all the servants there and the head of the inspectorate – Mrs. Rozaliya Licheva. There the children also received goodies. Finally all of the pupils were invited at the general office of Center Amalipe in Veliko Tarnovo where for them was waiting a special Roma New year - table full with food and candies.