BEST Foundation Hosts an Online Regional Tournament
On February 19, 20 and 21, 2021, The BEST Foundation will hold its third regional tournament of the 2020-2021 academic year. Students will compete in five events: World Schools Style debate, poetry and prose performance, duo interpretation, and original oratory.
Amidst a global pandemic, the NGO holds all its public events online, using video-conferencing software. Still, it attracts hundreds of Bulgarian students, teachers, and other members of the BEST Foundation community from around the world.
The Spring West Region Tournament will be the foundation’s 40th public speaking event, and the third one to be conducted online, using Zoom and Discord as its streaming services.
“We know how special in-person gatherings are to the BEST family, and though the decision is difficult, we have a moral responsibility to protect the health and well-being of our students, teachers, coaches, volunteers and greater communities”, Anna Fuselier, Board Chair and Reid Furubayashi, Vice-Chair state in an official statement on COVID-19 situation in Bulgaria.
BEST Foundation’s staff, which mainly consists of volunteers, will be hosted by AUBG to run behind the scenes operations of the tournament and conduct its opening and closing ceremonies where teams are introduced and awards are announced.
BEST is proud to have maintained a strong group of judges who are an essential part of the success of our tournaments and whom without their help our students won’t have a way of improving their critical thinking skills and speech delivery. Among our judges for last semester were Ms. Angela Rodel, Executive Director at the Fulbright Commission; Dimiter Kenarov, Bulgarian Journalist, and many other professionals and university students.
Krasi Shapkarova, a BEST tournament judge and a career coach at Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, says: "This is my first time volunteering as a judge and I must say: fantastic performers! This is such a great opportunity for students!"
BEST is holding three more tournaments this season. A regional for the East teams, a national tournament which is the culmination of our tournament season where winners from regional tournaments meet and compete with peers from all around Bulgaria, and lastly an international tournament for high school students from across the neighboring Balkan countries.
About The BEST Foundation
BEST stands for Bulgarian English Speech and Debate Tournaments. Established in 2013, BEST provides the English-language learners of Bulgaria an opportunity to come together and pursue personal growth through English language speech and debate. BEST aims to empower students to think critically, express themselves creatively, and create a dynamic community that truly cares about the success and the future of Bulgaria. BEST is proud to provide a platform for English-language speech and debate for students across the country.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Petar Donchev: assistant.director@bestfoundation.bg