site.btaOver 800 Runners of More than 17 Nationalities Participate in 10th Pleven Friendship Marathon

Over 800 runners from more than 17 nationalities participated in the various races within the 10th Pleven Friendship Marathon here on Sunday. Stanimira Georgieva from Eyes Open, co-organizer of the sports event, said that over 500 children registered for the Fun Run Kids.

The oldest runner is 78 years old. The oldest foreigner participating is 77-year-old Alan Kay [name might be misspelled], who has run in seven previous editions of the marathon in Pleven. Oliver Patten from the British Embassy in Bulgaria joined the run for yet another year.

At the opening of the marathon, an address was read from US Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten. The Pleven Friendship Marathon is a symbol of the strength of the human spirit and friendship; it helps builds a society in which people with disabilities are met with respect for their abilities, talents, and potential, the address reads.

The Pleven Friendship Marathon popularizes not only the active way of life for the whole family but also traditionally supports charity causes. This year's edition raised funds for a scholarship for a student at Medical University Pleven who has lost one or both of their parents or has grown up at a specialized institution. Since its establishment, the Friendship Marathon has also been working on inclusion of minorities and people with diverse abilities. Representatives of the local Roma community actively participate as volunteers in the event's organization.