site.btaUPDATED President Radev, First Lady Attend Bulgarian Christmas Charity Show

President Rumen Radev and Bulgaria's First Lady, Desislava Radeva, are attending the traditional Bulgarian Christmas charity performance on Monday evening, the President's Press Secretariat said.

The charity initiative, held for the 21st consecutive year, is under the President's auspices. The concert is broadcast live on Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) from the Ivan Vazov National Theatre.

The 21st edition of Bulgarian Christmas is in support of pediatric surgery. Prominent Bulgarian music artists support the charity initiative to help children in need with their participation in the event. The performance features beloved Bulgarian songs accompanied by the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Levon Manukyan. The show also includes performances by Ilian Bozhkov, Miro, Kristina Doncheva, the Bon-Bon Vocal Group, Lucy Dyakovska, Toma Zdravkov, Hristina Neykova, the Bulgarian National Radio Children's Choir, among others.

The hosts of this year's Christmas charity show, which is realized by the Dream Team Group, are journalist Georgi Lyubenov and actress Radina Borshosh. 

People can support the cause of children in need by sending a charity SMS to 1117. 

The Head of State announced the start of the 21st edition of the charity initiative on November 27 in Burgas, when he said that the Bulgarian Christmas is not just a fundraising campaign, but it is much more than that, as it gives people the belief that they live in a civilized society based on human values. "This year, Bulgarian Christmas has a record budget of over BGN 3,500,000. Five hundred and eighty-six children received valuable help for diagnosis and treatment, expensive medicines, and subsequent rehabilitation. Twenty-six medical institutions across the country received modern high-tech equipment," Radev said. 

The 21st edition of the Bulgarian Christmas campaign is held under the motto "Give Hope to a Child in Need".