For the 12th consecutive year students from Galabovo crafted martenitsas for the competition of AES Bulgaria

February 28, 2020

Handmade Pizho and Penda are intended to delight the President, the Prime Minister and the heads of the institutions in Bulgaria

For the twelfth consecutive year, AES Bulgaria has organized an art competition for making martenitsas for the students of Galabovo. More than 400 children from 18 classes from all schools in the municipality, as well as 4 pre-school groups from ‘Radost’ and ‘Natalia’ kindergartens, joined the art competition for making Pizho and Penda.

With materials provided by AES Bulgaria – wool, yarn, beads and other decorations, the children made traditional Bulgarian martenitsas, as well as art pieces with martenitsas included. For yet another year, the children’s talent and imagination stunned the jury which had real difficulties to select the most beautiful and masterfully crafted martenitsa. The winner was one of the third-grade classes of ‘Hristo Botev’ Secondary School – Galabovo. The grand prize provided by AES for all winning children is a one-day excursion to one of Bulgaria’s 100 national tourist sites. All the other participants in the art contest, dedicated to Baba Marta, received delicious cakes and consolation prizes for their talents and efforts.

Traditionally, the martenitsas, made by the Galabovo children with best wishes for health and well-being, have been gifted by AES Bulgaria to President Rumen Radev, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the National Assembly Chairperson Tsveta Karayancheva and other heads of state institutions and organizations.

For all those 12 years, about 4400 children have participated in the Baba Marta competition.

The artistic martenitsa competition is part of AES Bulgaria’s Corporate Social Responsibility program and aims to preserve Bulgarian traditions and customs and promote the development of the talent of children in Galabovo. The total investment of AES Bulgaria in various CSR projects for the benefit of the communities where the company operates in the country amounts to nearly BGN 14.6 million.