Bulgarians, Romanians, Moldovans and Macedonians are going to welcome the arrival of spring with a festival called "Balkan Spring in White and Red". The event will take place in Milan on February 24th and is dedicated to March 1 – the day when we give our beloved people an amulet for health made of white and red threads. In Bulgaria, it is called "martenitsa", in Romania and Moldova the holiday is called Marţişor, and in North Macedonia the amulet is known as "martinki.” In 2017 martenitsa became part of the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following a collective nomination by the four countries, a fact that provoked the Balkan communities in Milan to organize a common holiday.

"Actually at the beginning there were the martenitsa workshops at the Bulgarian School in Milan. After the proposal for the registration of martenitsa as cultural heritage at UNESCO, Maria Gancheva, vice-president of our center suggested we extend our activities in order to include other nations who share this tradition," Gergana Hristova, President of the Bulgarian language and cultural center and the Bulgarian Sunday School in Milan says.

For the third consecutive year, the Balkan holiday is organized in cooperation with the Italian-Romanian Cultural Center – Milan, the Moldovan Vatra Neamului Association – Milan and the Macedonian Cultural Association "Stone Bridge". The event will take place under the auspices of the Milan Municipality and the Consulates General of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova in the Italian city. The jury with the help of experts and the parents of children from the Bulgarian school will choose the best martenitsas made by children. The festival will end with a Bulgarian folk dance workshop, under the leadership of folk group "Veselie".

"Balkan Spring in White and Red" will be a day full of events–“a valuable lesson for children of the Balkan communities in Milan on solidarity and sharing common cultural values ​​and traditions. This is the way cultural legacy can continue to be passed on from generation to generation, casting a bridge between the deep roots of tradition and the cosmopolitan feeling of community," the organizers say.

English: Alexander Markov