BEST Foundation and AUBG once again bring students together from across the Balkan Peninsula to compete in an international speech competition

Merely 19 days after our Spring East tournament, BEST Foundation held its annual Balkan Voices International Original Oratory and Speech Competition from the 14th till the 16th of March, 2025, at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) in Blagoevgrad. 70 students from the Balkan Peninsula competed in two events - Original Oratory and Extemporaneous Speech. BEST Foundation and AUBG welcomed 34 international students from 11 schools across Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, alongside 36 Bulgarian students from 17 schools.

All attendees were warmly welcomed by Kostadin Shopov, Director of Admissions at AUBG, and our special guest Angela Rodel, Executive Director of the Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission. Additionally, a heartwarming letter of support from Mr. Eric Brassil, Cultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, was read to the audience.

As Balkan Voices is a collaborative initiative between BEST Foundation and AUBG, all attendees had the pleasure of attending a series of campus tours, interactive activities and academic lectures over the course of the long weekend. One such event was the engaging and thought-provoking “Lost and Found in Translation” workshop, led by our special guest Angella Rodel. The workshop thoroughly explored not only the different challenges that modern translators face, but also the nuances of translation. Following this insightful workshop was our Broadcasting Challenge, which further enriched the experience of all participants.

After a long weekend, filled with a wide variety of interesting speeches, Ms. Margee Ensign, President of AUBG, delivered a special inspiring address to all the attendees, bringing the event to a close.

The next in-person tournament will be our National Tournament. It will be held at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) from the 11th till the 13th of April in Sofia.


Participating Teams/Schools

Prishtina High School - Prishtina, Kosovo

QSI International School of Kosovo - Prishtina, Kosovo

Xhevdet Doda - Prishtina, Kosovo

International Learning Group - Prishtina, Kosovo

Finnish School of Kosovo - Prishtina, Kosovo

SOU Metodi Mitevski - Brico - Delchevo, North Macedonia 

Yahya Kemal College - Struga, North Macedonia

QSI International school - Skopje, North Macedonia

Secondary school Gjorche Petrov - Kriva Palanka, North Macedonia

New York High School - Tirana, Albania

Petro Nini Luarasi High school - Tirana, Albania

“Nikola Vaptsarov'' Language High School - Shumen, Bulgaria 

Dr. Petar Beron Maths School  - Varna, Bulgaria

First Language School - Varna, Bulgaria

Independent School of Thought - Varna, Bulgaria

ELS Zaharii Stoyanov - Sliven, Bulgaria

Akad. S. Korolyov Mathematics and Science High School - Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Foreign Language High-School "Academic Lyudmil Stoyanov" - Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Foreign Language High-School Paisii Hilendarski - Dupnitsa, Bulgaria

FLHS Hristo Botev - Kardzhali, Bulgaria

FLHS "Peter Bogdan" - Montana, Bulgaria

Foreign Language High-School ,,Aleko Konstantinov'' - Pravets, Bulgaria

English Language High-School"Geo Milev" - Ruse, Bulgaria

Vocational High School of Electrical Engineering - Ruse, Bulgaria

Foreign Language High-School"Peyo Yavorov" - Silistra, Bulgaria

51st school "Elisaveta Bagryana" - Sofia, Bulgaria

Foreign Language High-School "Prof-doctor Asen Zlatarov" - Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

American college Arcus - Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

AWARDS

ORIGINAL ORATORY – NOVICE (9TH-10TH GRADE)

Semifinalists 

  • Viktoria Dokuzova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS 

  • Tsvetelina Tsvetkova - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School

  • Yoana Encheva - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov 

  • Stela Mineva - Varna, First Language School 

  • Teodor Andreev - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School 

  • Borislava Buchinska - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School

Finalists

  1. Yoana Georgieva Stefanova - Sofia, 51st Elisaveta Bagryana School

  2. Patrisiya Dimitrova - Ruse, Geo Milev ELS 

  3. Mihael Minov - Veliko Tarnovo, American College - Arcus 

  4. Ivon Velikova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov 

  5. Liron Krasniqi - Prishtina, Prishtina High School 

  6. Kaloyan Todorov - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School 

ORIGINAL ORATORY – VARSITY (10TH-12TH GRADE)

Semifinalists

  • Vesa Skenduli - Tirana, New York High School 

  • Stefani Strezova - Sofia, 51st Elisaveta Bagryana School 

  • Leona Beqiri - Prishtina, International Learning Group

  • Katerina Nikolova - Dupnitsa, Language School St. Paisii Hilendarski 

  • Luka Stoimenovski - Delchevo, SOU Metodi Mitevski - Brico 

  • Lea Berbatovci - Prishtina, Prishtina High School 

  • Mertol Mehmed - Shumen, Nikola Vapzarov FLHS

Finalists

  1. Katerina Dimitrova - Shumen, Nikola Vapzarov FLHS

  2. Maria Todorova - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School 

  3. Nikol Mihaylska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS 

  4. Nella Fletcher - Varna, Independent School of Thought

  5. Monika Moneva - Sliven, Zaharii Stoyanov ELS

  6. Neliya Petrova - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School  

Extemporaneous speech – Novice (9TH-10TH GRADE)

Finalists

  1. Ivon Velikova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  2. Izabela Koleva - Varna, First Language School 

  3. Maria Tasheva - Skopje, QSI International School of Skopje 

  4. Iva Davidovska - Kriva Palanka, SOU Gjorche Petrov 

  5. Ivana Sekuloska - Struga, Yahya Kemal College 

  6. Stefan Balushev - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School 

Extemporaneous speech – varsity (11TH-12TH GRADE)

Finalists

  1. Maria Todorova - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School

  2. Stiliyan Tsolov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS 

  3. Luka Stoimenovski - Delchevo, SOU Metodi Mitevski - Brico 

  4. Patris Lole - Tirana, Petro Nini Luarasi high school 

  5. Sandriano-Christofar Radonchik - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov 

  6. Katerina Dimitrova - Shumen, Nikola Vapzarov FLHS

Overall performance award – Novice (9TH-10TH GRADE)

  1. Ivon Velikova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  2. Izabela Koleva - Varna, First Language School 

  3. Maria Tasheva - QSI International School of Skopje

Overall performance award – Varsity (11TH-12TH GRADE)

  1. Maria Todorova - Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School

  2. Katerina Dimitrova - Shumen, Nikola Vapzarov FLHS 

  3. Stiliyan Tsolov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS

BEST Foundation