Bulgarska Koleda kicked off for 2008 on December 1. Under the patronage of President Georgi Purvanov and first lady Zorka Purvanova, the sixth annual Christmas charity campaign aims, as in past years, to gather funds for the medical care of sick children and for the purchase of medical apparatus and supplies for children's hospital wards.

The campaign runs until December 26 2008. Funds amassed will be donated to the National Genetic Laboratory and the Clinic for At-Risk Pregnancy, part of the Maichen Dom mother and baby hospital, a press release from the Presidency sent on December 1 2008 read. To be purchased for the centres is a new machine for prenatal genetic testing.

The equipment being bought is overseen by heads of hospitals and with consultation from the Health Ministry, the Paediatric Association and the Neonatology Association.

Thirty-three children requiring expensive medical treatments will be assisted as well. Depending on the amount of donations received, more could be helped. Children are selected for treatment following their parents sending a letter of request to Bulgarska Koleda ("Bulgarian Christmas") organisers and the approval of the doctors.

The previous five years of the initiative collected a total of 11 662 026 leva, which allowed about 300 children to receive healing treatments. Also, with 8 883 027 leva of the money, were purchased medical supplies and equipment for more than 76 children's clinics and care units.

To donate, people can send an SMS to the telephone number 1117 (for M-Tel, Globul and Vivatel mobile phone customers) and to 0900 1117 for BTK subscribers. The cost - donation - of an SMS is one lev.

Also possible is donation directly to the Bulgarska Koleda bank account: UBB (Обединена българска банка) IBAN: BG13UBBS80023300186210 with the bank code BIС: UBBSBGSF, UBB central branch. BNT holds the account. The option also exists to contribute via the internet using a Visa or MasterCard.

As in 2007, on the first day of Christmas, December 25 2008, there will be a benefit concert in Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia, also to be broadcast on BNT.

Bulgarska Koleda is organised by the Bulgarian Presidency, Bulgarian National Television and Nova Televizia, with the support of M-Tel, Globul, Vivatel and BTK.