Besides the hair, dagger and letters of Levski, the exhibition features Botev’s watch, original photos, and farewell letter to his family, the seals and the statutes of the Bulgarian Central Revolutionary Committee (BCRC), the flag of his detachment. The exhibition is held in commemoration of the 143rd year of Vassil Levski’s hanging and the 140th year of the April Uprising and Hristo Botev’s death.

At the opening the Chairperson of the National Assembly, Tsetska Tsacheva, under which auspices the event is carried out, noticed that the exhibition shows precious relics for Bulgarians. She thanked for their assistance the Vasil Levski Committee of All Bulgarians, the Hristo Botyov National Foundation., the National Library “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” and the museums which lent the objects. She announced that citizens may visit the exhibition on Saturday, February 20th, when the National Assembly is to have its Open Doors Day.

Tsetska Tsacheva stressed that the April Uprising was the national revolution of Bulgaria, where Levski was the ideologue, theoretician and strategist. He was preparing and organizing the whole country, with the belief that it must involve every person. After the death of Levski, his ideas became the recurrent theme in the works of Botev. Tsetska Tsacheva recalled the fact that in 1876, at the eve of the uprising, Botev had created the “Wall Calendar of 1876” bearing the portrait of Deacon Vassil Levski. In the calendar he published the final version of “The Hanging of Vassil Levski”. It was the first time when Bulgarians came in contact with the poetic image of the Deacon, through the great poem of the genial Bulgarian poet. She thanked the children’s choir of the Bulgarian National Radio for their talented and moving performance of the poem.

The National Assembly Chairperson noted that many of the ideas of Levski have been accomplished. She added this fact makes us even more bound to preserve Bulgaria and its democratic values; to work as much as one can for the prosperity of our Fatherland.

The head of the All Bulgarian committee Vassil Levski, Mr. Vassil Vassilev, pointed out that Vassil Levski and Hristo Botev are the strongest leaders in the common aspirations of Bulgarians to see Bulgaria as a pure and sacred republic. The head of the Hristo Botyov National Foundation, Botyo Botev, pointed out the two national heroes were closely related with the April Uprising, prepared by the Apostle Levski and by Botev’s personal participation with his detachment in its final days. The present exhibition puts again side by side the two great Bulgarians and calls to our memory the April Uprising, he stressed.

The Children’s choir of the Bulgarian National Radio was special participant at the exhibition’s opening.