At 12 noon on June 2, a solemn tribute echoed across Bulgaria as sirens sounded and the entire nation paused for two minutes of silence. People and vehicles alike stood still, united in respect for those who gave their lives for Bulgaria's freedom and independence.

This day is traditionally known as the Day of Hristo Botev and Those Who Fell for the Freedom and Independence of Bulgaria. As the sirens wailed, people paid homage to Hristo Botev and the countless others who fought and sacrificed for their homeland.

Earlier in the day, thousands made their way to Okolchitsa peak in the Vratsa section of the Balkan Range to honor the memory of Hristo Botev and his band of freedom fighters.

Addressing the crowd at Okolchitsa peak, National Assembly President Natalia Kiselova described Hristo Botev as a symbol of the Bulgarian people's determination to break free from oppression, as well as a shining example of the unity between words and actions. Botev's spirit, she said, lives on in the nation's sense of dignity and its belief in a democratic, free, and European future.

Across Bulgaria, from the smallest villages to the largest cities, people gathered to honor the memory of Hristo Botev and those who have died for the country’s freedom. The Day of Botev was first marked in 1884 in Vratsa and in Plovdiv, a tradition that endures to this day, binding generations of Bulgarians in collective remembrance.