With great ceremony on September 30 in Kazanlak, the flag of the Student Guard Squad was blessed, and the mace was presented to the Student Guard Brass Band in the city. These are the first two student guard formations in the Stara Zagora region. They are entirely composed of students from the “Ivan Hadjiienov” Vocational School. The guard squad is the eighth in Bulgaria, and the brass band is the third in the entire country. The solemn ceremony was under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, with the support of the Ministry of Defense and the participation of the National Guard Unit.
“Вие сте първите, а първите винаги се помнят – обърна се към младите гвардейци директорът на Механотехникума Мариана Демирева. – С това ние осъществихме 3-годишната мечта на нашето училище и се наредихме до онези патриотични градове с гвардейски формирования.” Кметът Галина Стоянова подчерта, че днешният ден остава в историята на Казанлък и акцентира върху заслугата на директора Демирева и на целия колектив, които единствени от училищата в общината са прегърнали идеята за гвардейски отряд и гвардейски духов оркестър и са я осъществили.
Специални поздравления бяха поднесени от Илия Милушев, съветник по сигурност и и отбрана на президента, и Иво Антонов, директор на дирекция “Социална политика и политики на военно-патриотичното възпитание” в Министерството на отбраната.
Mariana Demireva received a plaque from the deputy commander of the National Guard Unit, Col. Petar Kindalov, along with a painting of an authentic guard uniform. The mayor, Galina Stoyanova, presented her with the emblem of the Municipality of Kazanlak.
The Guard Squad and the Student Brass Band are among the initiatives with which the Technical School in Kazanlak is celebrating its 95th anniversary. The technical school in the city was established in 1925. The school guard unit includes 24 students, and the brass band consists of 12 youths from grades 9 to 11. The conductor of the orchestra is Licho Konstantinov, who also received the drum major’s baton. The guard uniforms for the students are modeled after the uniforms of the National Guard Unit and were funded by donations. The first donation of 10,000 leva was made by the Local Coalition “Citizens’ Alternative.” Municipal councilors from the coalition, Yanko Zapryanov, Vladimir Chuchumishev, Plamen Staikov, Marieta Pepelezhkova, and Krasimira Kharizanova, attended the ceremonial event at “Sevtopolis” Square.
The instruments of the brass band are provided by the Municipality of Kazanlak.
The blessing of the Guards’ flag was conducted by priests from the Stara Zagora Diocese.
The event was organized by the “Youth Guard Units” Association, chaired by Dr. Denislava Angelova, and the “Ivan Hadjiienov” vocational school, with support from the 61st Stryamska Mechanized Brigade and Kazanlak Municipality. The participation of a representative company from the National Guard Unit and the Guard Representative Brass Band was impressive. Also part of this wonderful guard army at Seuthopolis Square was the Sixth Guard Student Unit from the town of Aytos.
Among the guests, in addition to representatives from the Presidency and the Ministry of Defense, were Regional Governor Gergana Mikova, Head of the Regional Education Office-Stara Zagora Tatyana Dimitrova, Ombudsman of Kazanlak Municipality Ginka Shtereva, Deputy Commander of the 61st Stryamska Mechanized Brigade Col. Miroslav Kostadinov, municipal councilors, representatives of state bodies and institutions, and local business representatives who supported the patriotic initiative of the Mechanotecnical School. Olympic wrestling champion Elitsa Yankova was also among the guests.
