From video address by Irina Bokova, General Secretary of the UNESKO to Sabantui in Bulgaria.

“I am convinced that the world can become better by means of mutual acquaintance with  cultures and traditions of different peoples, through such holidays as Sabantui, which teach us tolerance and understand humility and respect for cultural diversity, And hatred and extremism will remain in the past. ”

The cultural and sports festival “Sabantui 2017” in Sofia was held for the third time. The fact that this event has become a good tradition and gathered a large number of people of different nationalities and ages, noted in his opening speech the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Bulgaria Anatoly Makarov.

On sports and playgrounds, at hospitable tables with refreshments, on June 4, over 7,000 people spent their day off. In addition to residents of the capital, dozens of tourists from different countries visited the South Park.

The organizer of this festival, as in past years, was the Volga Bulgari Society in Bulgaria.

Delegations from Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, cities of Russia, who carefully preserve and revive the traditions of the Tatar people, arrived in Sofia.

In addition to the Ambassador of Russia in Bulgaria, A.A. Makarov, other officials became guests of Sabantuy: V. Voronkovich – the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus in Bulgaria, V. Andreev – the military attache attached to the Russian Embassy, ​​the representatives of the Sofia City Hall and Rossotrudnichestvo,  director of the Moscow House in Sofia, public and cultural figures, representatives Business.

A saturated cultural program  of Sabantuy pleased the audience with performances of Tatar, Bashkir and Bulgarian artists.

The first to enter the stage were musicians Mshu Ag Cerner and the Youth Guitar Orchestra “Sofia”. The program was continued with sparkling dances performed by Tatiana and Rinat Miftakhov, a brilliant Kazan duet “Arthur and Marat” (Arthur Mingazov and Marat Galimov), a well-known singer Alsu Abulkhanova, and accordion player Aidar Valeev struck the listeners with a virtuoso command  of an unusual instrument for Bulgarians.

From the impressions of the sound engineer: “.. voice of your world-class singers, I went online and looked-you have a very rich culture, I’m impressed! Everything is so natural and, people are having fun from the heart .. I received great pleasure from working at your event, I must continue such holidays. ”

In addition to professional artists, amateurs also appeared on stage: Rizida Mukhametzyanova sang songs with her own composition, and Galiya Arslanova read  out  her poetry with great feeling with the spoken title “Life” (both performers from Ufa).

Children’s performances are always warmly met by the audience, so it was this time. Everyone was pleased with the young dancers from the ensemble at the Russian Embassy, ​​small singers from the studio “Do-mi-sol-ka” of the Russian cultural and information center.

The second part of the concert was given to the folk dance ensemble “Nestini”, who, in conclusion  of their performance,  have organized a real folk dance choir – with the participation of Sabantuy’s guests.

The sports part of the holiday, as usual, attracted a lot of spectators and fans. Cossacks of “St. Panteleimon’s Cossack village of Sofia”, led by Ataman I. Aututov, organized an exciting spectacle. Among the participants and judges of the competitions in the national wrestling on  belts – corset, arm-wrestling, lifting weights and other power combats, were athletes – holders of world titles, having, moreover, the highest judicial qualifications: Bulat Habibrahmanov, Remis Ilgamov from the International Wrestling Federation Koryash “of Russia, Hristo Delidzhakov, Nikolai Panchev, Kirill Todorov, as well as amateur athletes. The main prize – a live sheep – went to the Chief Batyr ”  of Sabantuy -2017″ Dimcho Dimshev.

More than 30 tents surrounded the large glade of the South Park, where folk craftsmen from different regions of Bulgaria, from Sofia, from Tyumen, offered to Sabantuy’s guests a wide variety of goods: souvenirs, national clothes, children’s clothes, sweets and drinks.

Great interest and participation was caused by the ancient folk games: Lilia and Emil Abrashev with the assistants did not have time to explain the rules in several languages: our partner from the Tourism Directorate of Sofia, Mr. Marinov, warned that all tour routes on this day would pass through Sabantuy! Berms with buckets of water ran around the Americans, Arabs, Romanians, Germans, and of course the local population. The children did not want to get off the logs, where the fight with the pillows was held, the boiled eggs after the competitions were eaten by the participants themselves, it was a real pleasure to get coins from a cool katyk on a hot day! All the children received prizes, including sweet ones, and the winners-books in Russian, provided by the Russian embassy and represented by Rossotrudnichestvo.

Guests of honor were treated by  dishes from Albert Akhmetzyanov, a high-class chef from Kazan, and numerous visitors of Sabantuy appreciated the food prepared by cooks from restaurant Dobro.

Sabantuy 2017 in Sofia was held under the patronage of the National Committee of UNESCO in Bulgaria and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Bulgaria, with the support of the Sofia City Council, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Bulgaria, the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo in Bulgaria.

The official sponsors of the third Sabantuy in Sofia were: Vzdigane Fund, ZBEST MILLIONS MIOTA, winery Midaladare Eshte, Polymer Plant OJSC Silor, Gloria Mar Restaurant, WFPD Bulgaria LLC.

Information support was provided by media partners: representatives of RTR Planet in Bulgaria – the company “MARLIN MEDIA”, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), the Bulgarian National Television (BTA), etc.

We sincerely thank all the compatriots, volunteers, participants, students of the Sofia Forestry Technical University, and, of course, the organizers of Sabantuy in Bulgaria: Alfia Dimitrova, Svetlana Staneva, Gergana Gizdina, Shukhrat Karimov, Ivan Aututov, Rezeda Mukhamedova, Gulnara Alimkhanova, Adela Mukhamedova, Rosa Tsvetanova, Ekaterina Sharipova, Lilia and Emil Abrashchkovs, Dinara Safinau, Olga Printsovska, Victor Lalov, Nikolai Artemov, Tatyana Popova, Stefan Gaidarov, Lena and Orlin Savovykhs, Georgy Karadzhov, who had made   efforts  to make  a holyday a cheerful one  and caused a a desire to continue it!