Share

Text size

Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

On the occasion of Bango Vasil

Roma children perform traditional New Year dances in BNR

published on 1/12/24 5:12 PM

Photo: Ani Petrova

On 14 January, the Roma community in Bulgaria celebrated its most important holiday - Vasilovden or Bango Vasil. To share the traditions of Roma folklore during the celebration of the Roma New Year, as the holiday is also known, children from the school in the village of Graf Ignatievo, Plovdiv region, were guests of BNR.

In front of Studio 1 of Bulgarian National Radio they presented a dance of different ethnic groups and "Gypsy Romance"...

.... told the story of how the Roma came to be and why they honour Bango Vasil (Limping Vasil). Legend has it that the devil destroyed the bridge the Roma were crossing, but St Basil rebuilt it and saved the Roma from drowning...

...tapped the journalists on the back with a decorated cornel branch to wish them good luck, health and prosperity...

... treated all the guests to a traditional banitsa with lucky charms.

The children were welcomed by the Director General of the BNR, Milen Mitev. This visit was organised by the Amalipe Centre for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance, which has been working in the field of educational integration for over 20 years.

Text: Desislava Semkovska

Photos: Ani Petrova

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Radio Bulgaria Life Amalipe Centre for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance Bango Vasil BNR Graf Ignatievo

Gallery

More from category

"In the Light of Fireflies" - an exhibition about self-immolations in Bulgaria in 2013

In the summer of 2014, photographer Philippe Bazin and philosopher Christiane Vollaire traveled around Bulgaria, investigating a series of self-immolations in the country that happened in 2013. They filmed over 30 locations, conducted..

published on 11/6/25 7:40 PM

Bulgaria Participates in a COST Action on the Study of Values in Turbulent Times

On 27 October, the first meeting of Action CA-24150 “Values in Turbulent Times: Navigating Social Change and Challenges (VISTA)” took place in Brussels. The initiative is part of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) programme – one of..

published on 11/6/25 3:13 PM

Thirteen US states recognize the Seal of Biliteracy in Bulgarian

The so-called Seal of Biliteracy was created in 2011 in the US state of California with the idea that in the conditions of a globalized economy and relationships, it is not possible for a person to develop their full potential by..

published on 11/5/25 4:15 PM

1
..
3
4
5
6
7
..
10

WEATHER

Pick city: Sofía

Partly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 16

BULGARIA IN PICTURES

Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?

MOST VIEWED

Balkan Developments

Italy investigates claims of hunting of people in Sarajevo in the 1990s The prosecutor's office in Milan has..

published on 11/14/25 4:35 PM

Bulgarian doctors conduct reproductive health checkups in Albania

Albania and Bulgaria have joined forces in the name of one more child being born. In the late afternoon of November 7, the first-ever free reproductive..

published on 11/14/25 11:02 AM

Ivo Ivanov from Radio Bulgaria is among the graduates of BNR's 11th Radio Journalism Master Class

The diplomas from the 11th master class in radio journalism of the Bulgarian National Radio – BNR Academy were awarded at a solemn ceremony on November..

published on 11/15/25 10:10 AM

shopify analytics ecommerce
tracking