BEST Foundation Opens the New Year With its Third Regional Tournament
On February 8th and 9th, 2025, BEST Foundation held its third in-person tournament for the academic year at the 90th School “General Hose de San Martin” in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. 225 students competed in five events: World Schools Style debate, poetry and prose interpretation, duo interpretation, and original oratory. Despite many challenges, BEST Foundation had the pleasure to welcome 67 volunteers, who served as judges alongside competitors from 19 schools from 12 cities from all across Western Bulgaria, including one independent team and two teams that joined the community for the first time.
The tournament weekend was opened with an uplifting tone by an inspiring performance by the student leaders from the 51st School in Sofia and the Mathematics High School in Blagoevgrad. Following this energetic performance, all attendees were warmly welcomed by the principal of the host school, Mrs. Yordanka Nedelcheva, who eagerly opened the doors of her school for the tournament.
Once all the rounds had concluded, students and volunteers alike were honoured to listen to several distinguished speakers: Mrs. Nancy Shiller, CEO of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, Mrs. Vera Vlahova, Senior Foreign Languages Expert at the Regional Directorate of Education in Sofia, Mr. Slavi Paskov, Chief Public Relations Expert at Lyulin Municipality, who delivered a speech on behalf of Ms. Rositsa Pandova-Yovkova, Deputy Mayor of Lyulin Municipality (where the host school is located), Ms. Lyuba Batembergska, civic activist and leader of the Education program at the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation. Additionally, we welcomed Mr. Svetoslav Dragiev from the Lead by Example Foundation, which has continuously supported our Debate program.
Through their encouraging and motivational speeches, each person expressed their vehement support for young people in areas such as developing civic skills, learning to defend their ideas, and actively participating in decision-making.
BEST Foundation is expected to return in less than two weeks for the upcoming Spring East tournament in Ruse.
Participating Schools/Teams
Dupnitsa, St. Paisii Hilendarski Secondary School
Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski
Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov
Kyustendil. Dr. Petar Beron Language School
Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Montana, Petar Bodgan FLHS
Pernik, Simeon Radev FLHS
Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Sofia, 119th Academician Mihail Arnaudov
Sofia, 51st Elisaveta Bagryana School
Sofia, 97th Bratya Miladinovi school
Sofia, Second English Language High school
The Three Wishes
Plovdiv, "Acad. Kiril Popov" High School of Mathematics
Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Sofia, SoftUni BUditel
Sofia, TUES
AWARDS
DUO INTERPRETATION - NOVICE
Top 3 Novice Performers
Yoanna Ivanova and Stefan Simeonov - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLHS
Kristina Konstantinova and Milen Iliev - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Srebrina Stankova and Glory Georgieva - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLHS
Semifinalists
Aleksandra Bakardzhieva and Nevelina Nikolova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Ivet Nikolova and Katerina Mateeva - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Monika Stoyanova and Karina Peovska - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Kalina Filipova Vezarova and Mila Zhelqzova Eneva - Sofia, Second English Language School
Kristina Konstantinova and Milen Iliev - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Srebrina Stankova and Glory Georgieva - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Kristina Petrova and Ivan Ivanov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Finalists
Sofia Bosilkova and Petya Tsvetkova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Kalina Poromanska and Stefani Strezova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Nadia Mateeva and Denislav Aleksandrov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Boris Dimitrov Makariev and Kaloyan Georgiev - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Tsvetina Tsvetkova and Mariana Nikolova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Yoanna Ivanova and Stefan Simeonov - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
ORIGINAL ORATORY
Top 3 Novice Oratory Speakers
Yoana Georgieva Stefanova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Tsvetelina Tsvetkova - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science H
Emilia Paparkova - Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski
Semifinalists
Borislava Buchinska - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science H
Lyubomir Todorov - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Veselin Ivchev - Kyustendil, Petar Beron FLHS
Katerina Nikolova - Dupnitsa, Saint Paisii Hilendarski Secondary Langage School
Yoana Chaeva - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Alexandra Stefanova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Finalists
Yoana Georgieva Stefanova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Nikol Mihaylska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Stefani Strezova - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Deyan Chonev - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Anna-Maria Vladimirova - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Stilyan Tsolov - Montana, Petar Bogdan FLHS
POETRY INTERPRETATION - NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Finalists
Sophia Anova - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Spas-Aleksandar Gochev - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Alisa Peeva - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Emma Koleva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov
Ivana Veselinova Tsvetanova - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Ivayla Temelkova - Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski
Asya Dudinska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov
Tsvetelina Tsvetkova - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School
POETRY INTERPRETATION - VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Finalists
Kristian Mateev - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Preslava Rusalieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Vili Georgieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Nadezhda Ivanova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Elena Valeva - Plovdiv, Acad. Kiril Popov High School of Mathematics
Petya Tsvetkova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yossif I FLHS
PROSE INTERPRETATION - NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Finalists
Boris Zhekov - Sofia, 119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov
Milen Iliev - Montana, Petar Bogdan FLHS
Karina Andonova - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Raya Dikova - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Emanuela Emanuilova Milova - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Iva Asenova Samuilova - Smolyan, Ivan Vazov FLHS
Melani Genova - Sofia, 119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov
Kristina Konstantinova - Montana, Petar Bogdan FLHS
PROSE INTERPRETATION - VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Semifinalists
Vili Georgieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Katrin Sergilova - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Maria Slavcheva - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLHS
Karina Peovska - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Anna-Maria Mircheva - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLHS
Yoana Netezilova - Sofia, 119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov
Finalists
Kristian Mateev - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Kaloyan Georgiev - Sofia, Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School
Preslava Rusalieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Sofia Bosilkova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yossif I FLHS
Bozhana Velikova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yossif I FLHS
Monika Stoyanova - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Finalists
Lubov Angelova, Ekaterina Ivanova, Viktoria Ilieva - Zlatarski International School of Sofia
Gabriela Nedyalkova, Ivan Sirakov, Melani Genova 119th school of Sofia
Top Speaker Award
Raya Plamenova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov
Yannik Lozanov - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov
Nikol Vancheva - 119th of Sofia
WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Finalists
Bozhan Baltov, Anton Kirov, Dara Asenova, Daniel Krivoshiev - SELS of Sofia
Stilyan Tsolov, Katerina Mateeva, Georgi Vatralski, Kristina Konstantinova - Petar Bogan FLHS of Montana
Top Speaker Award
Anton Kirov - SELS of Sofia
Dara Asenova - SELS of Sofia
Lora Apostolova - TUES of Sofia
TEAM AWARDS
Small Team Division
Sofia, Zlatarski International School
Large Team Division
Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi