Today, December 8th, turns 100 years from the first celebration of the Students? Day in Bulgaria. As early as 1897, the then minister of education Prof. Ivan Shishmanov suggests the first Bulgarian University to have ?its own specific celebration day?. In 1902, the Sofia University Academic Board decided that it should be the day of the eminent Bulgarian 9th-century enlightener St. Kliment Ohridski (Sofia University is also named after him) ? November 25th. According to the Gregorian calendar (the new style) we celebrate it now on December 8th. The Bulgarian Ministry of Education gave its blessing in 1903, and thus the students in the first Bulgarian university got their own Students? Day to celebrate for the first time ? December 8th, 1903.
In the years to follow that day turned into a common celebration day for all Bulgarian students studying in various Bulgarian universities and colleges, and the parties are up... The communist government, though, declared that day as reactionary and cast supporting (since it considered the workers as playing a leading role and not the educated people), and in 1950 that day was forbidden to be celebrated ?because it was connected to the Royal dynasty?. There was even an unsuccessful attempt to be substituted by another communist celebration day ? November 17th, The International Day of Students? Solidarity. Nevertheless, the Students? Day got restored in 1963, and the red hats of the first Sofia University students were back into sale again. Well, only the motto of the day got somewhat changed ? the once ?We are everywhere where the people is? got transformed into ?We are everywhere where the Party is?.
In 1993, the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski includes into its calendar the celebration day it once had ? November 25th. No matter all changes, students have always done one and the same thing throughout all those hundred years ? celebrate!!!