We are pleased to invite you to attend the National Celebration of the 123rd Anniversary of the Ilinden-Preobrazhensko Uprising, which will be held on August 22, 2026 (Saturday) in the historical area of ​​Petrova Niva, Malko Tarnovo Municipality, under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mrs. Iliyana Yotova.

The Petrova Niva Commemorative Festival is one of the most significant events in the social and cultural calendar of the Malko Tarnovo Municipality. It brings together representatives of state and local institutions, Thracian societies, scientific and cultural circles, heirs of participants in the national liberation movement and citizens from all over the country, in order to pay tribute to the memory and sacrifice of the participants in the Ilinden-Preobrazhensko Uprising.

This year's celebration is also of particular importance in the context of the ongoing MOBIGATE project, No. BGTR0200044, funded under the Interreg VI-A IPA Bulgaria-Turkey Programme 2021–2027.

One of the main sites of intervention under the project is the museum collection building in the Petrova Niva area - a place that preserves and presents the historical memory of the Preobrazhensko Uprising and the struggles of the Thracian Bulgarians for freedom and national unification.

Currently, the construction, repair and installation activities planned under the project are being implemented, aimed at renovating the building, improving its functionality and creating more suitable conditions for the preservation and presentation of the museum exhibition. The implementation of the investment will contribute to the preservation and promotion of the common historical and cultural heritage, to increasing the tourist attractiveness of the Petrova Niva area and to the sustainable development of the cross-border region.

During your visit, you will be given the opportunity to familiarize yourself on site with the current stage of project implementation and the progress of construction and renovation activities. The team representatives will provide a brief overview of what has been done so far, the upcoming activities and the expected results of the renovation of the museum collection.

The visit to the site will be organized taking into account the current stage of construction and the applicable safety requirements.

We believe that your presence will be an expression of institutional support both for the preservation of historical memory and for the efforts for the successful implementation of cross-border cooperation projects between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Turkey.

We attach to this invitation the official program of the National Celebration. Among the main events planned for August 22, 2026 are a scientific conference, a welcoming of the participants in the traditional Thracian march, cultural events, a funeral prayer, a commemorative celebration in front of the memorial and a festive concert.

We would be happy to have you as our guests and together pay well-deserved tribute to the heroes of the Ilinden-Preobrazhensko Uprising, while at the same time presenting the specific contribution of the MOBIGATE project to the preservation and transmission of historical memory to future generations.