Students and lecturers walked the heroes' path to Mount Shipka
03 April 2025
Students, lecturers and staff from Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" put a wreath at the Freedom Monument on Mount Shipka. The traditional hike to the historical peak was held for the fifteenth time on the occasion of March 3rd - the national holiday of Bulgaria. More than 50 participants, including many foreign students, took part in the initiative. They learned about one of the most significant events in Bulgarian history and paid tribute to the heroes of 1877 - 1878. The organizer of the hike is the Student Council at the university.
The hike united the academic community and made the students empathize with the historical events that took place 147 years ago. They immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the place where the final battles in the struggle for Bulgarian liberation took place. Prof. Dr. Galina Shamonina – Dean of Student Life and Event Management, told the students about the course of military operations in the defense of Shipka, about the life and work of General Nikolay Stoletov, called "the general of the Bulgarians". The students learned more about the feat of the volunteers, who played a decisive role in the outcome of the war, as well as about the history of the invincible Samara flag - a symbol of self-sacrifice and indomitable spirit. Works by Bulgarian poets and writers who immortalized the heroism in the Shipka epic, which led to Bulgarian freedom, were also presented.
The route of the march included a visit to the Iskra Historical Museum in Kazanlak, where the participants got acquainted with the rich cultural and historical heritage of the region. The participants also visited the Nativity of Christ Memorial Church in the village of Shipka - a symbol of gratitude to those who died in the Russo-Turkish Liberation War.
