The Eighth Friendship Marathon to Take Place on 22 May in Pleven

A Deputy Prime Minister and diplomats will participate as volunteers in the event, which will be held in support of children with intellectual difficulties.

The eighth edition of the Friendship Marathon will take place on 22 May 2022 in Pleven’s central square. The race will once again attract more than 400 participants aged up to 85 years from different countries including the UK, Spain, India, Canada, Romania, the USA, Syria, Ukraine and Jamaica.

The racing events will start near the iconic Saint George the Victorious chapel and mausoleum.

The Pleven Marathon is a sporting event that promotes both charity and an active lifestyle. This year’s edition will be held under the motto “Run in Pleven in support of children with intellectual difficulties”.

In addition to fostering a culture of charity, the Friendship Marathon also promotes volunteering.

Grozdan Karadjov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development and Public Works, Ivan Hristanov, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, and Oliver Patten, a diplomat from the British Embassy, will be among the volunteers who will join the event with their families in support of the participants.

Registration for the competition is open at http://plevenmarathon. com/ until 18 May, with on-site registration also available on 21 May for the long-distance races, and on the day of the event for the 3-kilometre “I Can” cross and Fun Run Kids.

We look forward to seeing you on 22 May 2022, at 9 a.m., at the start line of the eighth edition of the Friendship Marathon.

FACTS

The disciplines in which over 400 participants will compete in this year’s edition of the Friendship Marathon are classic marathon (42.2 km), half marathon (21.1 km), relay (2 x 10.55 km), 10 km, the 3 km ‘I Can’ free mass cross and Fun Run Kids — a free-registration run for children. The start for the long distance runs (marathon and half marathon) will be given at 9:00 am, for the 10 km and for the relay at 9:05 am, and all those who join the 3 km run will leave at 9:07 am. And at 9:25 am, the individual races will start according to age group for the children participating in the Fun Run Kids race. In addition to the racing part, the event will feature an entertainment program in Pleven’s central square. From 10:45 am to 1:30 pm the Park+ games will take place in the green areas along the route of the sports events. They are open to all visitors and guests and will include yoga, feather ball, tennis, mini-volleyball, dancing lessons and other activities. The stage will also host demonstrations of sports clubs and a cultural and musical programme.

This year’s edition of the marathon will attract more volunteers compared to previous years. Among them are many students, senior citizens and others from Pleven and the entire country, a large group of volunteers from Romania, representatives of the Romanian Embassy, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development and Public Works Grozdan Karadjov, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture Ivan Hristanov and the diplomat from the British Embassy Oliver Patten.

“There is a wonderful Bulgarian song, and its lyrics say that if you have given something of yourself to someone else, you have not lived in vain. This is why I have never spared time, energy and strength where I’ve been able to help. And participating in a marathon with a noble aim like the one in Pleven is not only a privilege, but also a pleasure and the reason why my family and I participate in it every year,”
said Minister Karadjov, who decided to support the organizers by volunteering with his entire family.

“We are strong, united for a good social cause and for an even better life for the whole community,”
added the main organizer of the marathon — Stanimira Georgieva from Eyes–Open — commenting on her decision to volunteer.

All participants and those who decide to make a donation will support the initiative of the Bulgarian Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Pleven. The donations will contribute towards the construction of a pottery art therapy corner at the Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration for Children with Disabilities in Pleven. The project aims to support the rehabilitation of children with disabilities. Anyone wishing to support the cause can do so by donating on the website of the event https://plevenmarathon. com/cause/.

The eighth marathon in Pleven is organized by the leading foundations and social enterprises in Bulgaria whose main mission is to support people with different abilities and disadvantages: the Eyes–Open, Maria’s World Foundation, the Social Future-Jamba Foundation, the National Alliance for Social Responsibility, in partnership with Pleven Municipality, SCLA Phoenix, SC Elite Running from Romania, the Bulgarian Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, BCause Foundation, and Autism Today. The event is held with the support of companies for which corporate and social responsibility, contribution to building a fair social environment and a sustainable future are at the core of their business, among them Euroins, PwC, Asics, as well as Vidas and MaxDynamics Beverages, Devin water, Metro, Decathlon and Running Zone stores, SoftPress publishing house, Palfinder, Nestlé, Interlang translation agency, Leya desserts, Harmonica organic foods, Kingly, Sircrow, JA Bulgaria, Stanimira Chocolate House, McDonald’s, Dopple Herz nutritional supplements, Right Rental, Fit & Shape, Rotary Club Sofia, with the hosting of Rostov Hotel and the online streaming of Sprint.

More information about the Pleven Marathon is available at: