At a national conference held at the Panagyurishte History Museum, Mayor Zhelyazko Gagov addressed attendees marking the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising. Gagov urged Bulgarians to become worthy successors to the ordinary citizens who became national heroes during the revolt. He stated that the anniversary should serve as a moment for national reflection on unity and collective pride.
While noting that the commemorations coincided with an active election campaign, Gagov drew a contrast between contemporary political figures and historical leaders, suggesting that the comparison was unfavorable to the present political climate. According to the mayor, the anniversary should serve two primary functions: to establish a truly national observance, mirroring the aspirations of the original uprising, and to allow citizens to revisit history as a source of national pride. Gagov argued that Bulgarians suffer from a “deficit of pride” and that the anniversary provided an opportunity to recall the accomplishments of their ancestors, emphasizing the shared roots of current generations.
He drew a comparison between the young revolutionaries of 1876 and today’s youth, noting that while modern generations engage with social media, their predecessors were focused on sacrifice and what they termed “choosing immortality.”
The mayor stressed that the heroes of the April Uprising were not mythical figures but real individuals. He concluded by calling for the legacy of these figures to be understood in human terms, asserting, “They are us,” and urging Bulgarians to emulate the example set by those “ordinary people whom history made great.” The conference is part of a series of discussions organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) under the initiative “14 Centuries of Bulgaria in Europe.”
Topics: #april #uprising #heroes
