"Residents from the Bulgarian town of Pernik kicked off the traditional Surva festival on Tuesday with dancing and singing as the country welcomed the New Year. Footage shows adults and children donning colourful costumes decorated with bells, ribbons, and fur as they march through the town with lit torches.  The event, held annually on the New Year according to the Julian calendar, involves special rituals that are believed to help ward off evil spirits. In 2025, the town of Pernik was declared a 'global center of masquerade traditions' by the Federation of European Carnival Cities (FECC), following its 2015 UNESCO recognition at the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."