American Ambassador to Sofia, James Warlick, is officially launching Saturday Volunteers Day, marking the start of a number of volunteer initiatives across the country.

The ceremony is held Saturday morning at the National Museum of Military History in the capital Sofia. Local coordinators from 5 regional cities – Shumen, Targovishte, Lovech, Smolyan and Gabrovo, are taking part in the initiative for the very first time.

The initiative, which is launched in partnership with the Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation and the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, is held for the fourth consecutive year. About 1 000 employees from 25 companies and citizens from Sofia, Gabrovo, Lovech, Targovishte, Smolyan, Shumen, Burgas and Stara Zagora, are expected to come out Saturday and take part in over 50 volunteer actions - cleaning of parks, painting and repairs of equipment, assistance in orphanages, homes for disabled children and for the elderly, social institutions, centers for preservation of the environment and others.

Volunteers have also come up with very interesting projects such as "Live Books," "Read to Me," and the festival for science fiction art "Fantastival," among others.

Companies and organizations, which are taking part in Volunteers Day include Amgen, CMS Cameron McKenna, IBS, Piraeus, the British-American School, the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria, Vivacom, Ernst & Young, Carlsberg, Balkan Star, Ames, European Bank for Development, Neohimiki, and others.