A Powerful Start: BEST Foundation Holds First Tournament of the Academic Year

The first tournament of the 2025-2026 academic year took place from the 8th to the 9th of November, 2025, in the charming city of Blagoevgrad. It was hosted by FLHS “Lyudmil Stoyanov”. Students from high schools all over Western Bulgaria took part in five events – World Schools Style Debate, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, and Original Oratory. BEST Foundation was more than delighted to welcome 231 participants from 18 schools from 12 cities from all over Western Bulgaria. The weekend was filled with challenging debates, intriguing speeches and enjoyable performances. 

BEST Foundation would like to express its immeasurable gratitude for our sponsors and partners, without which, these initiatives would not have been possible. We would like to thank America for Bulgaria Foundation, Foundation Lead by Example, the U.S. Embassy, Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission, and the Tsotsorkov Foundation. Furthermore, we are thankful for our media partners – Bulgarian National Radio – Blagoevgrad, Pirinsko.com, Pirin News, РЕГИОНА, and Bulgarian National Television. 

Two of our management team members and a participant had the pleasure to take part in an interview by the prestigious Bulgarian National Television. Click here to watch the interview!

The tournament’s opening ceremony was opened by our Executive Director, Vanya Zlateva, who shared words of inspiration and courage for all the participants and community members who took part in the tournament. Furthermore, management team members, students and community members alike had the pleasure to listen to several admirable speakers during the opening and closing ceremonies – Mariya Stoyanova, coach of the team from the host school FLHS “Lyudmil Stoyanov”, Boryana Shalyavska, Deputy Mayor for Education and Business Development at the Municipality of Blagoevgrad, Aleksandar Nikolov – America for Bulgaria Foundation, Orlin Radev – CEO and Co-founder of AMPECO, Iliana Dimitrova –  Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission.

Our next tournament, organized for students from Eastern Bulgaria, is going to be held from the 29th till the 30th of November in the cultural city of Plovdiv, at the building of the University of Food Technologies.

Participating Schools/Teams

Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov Foreign Language High School

Blagoevgrad, Akad. Sergei Korolyov Maths and Science High School

Dupnitsa, Language School St. Paisii Hilendarski

Gotse Delchev, Maths and Science High School Yane Sandanski

Kyustendil,  Language High School Dr. Petar Beron

Montana, Foreign Language High School Petar Bogdan

Pernik, Simeon Radev Foreign Language High School

Pravets, Foreign Language High School Aleko Konstantinov

Sofia, 51st School Elisaveta Bagryana

Sofia, 119 Secondary School Academic Mihail Arnaudov

Sofia, Thomas Jefferson Second English Language School

Sofia, Britanica Park School

Sofia, First Private English Language School William Shakespeare

Sofia, Technological School Electronic Systems

Team Plovdiv

Vidin, Foreign Language High School Yordan Radichkov

Vratsa, Yoan Ekzarh Foreign Language School

Chelopech, Private English Language Secondary School

Awards

DUO INTERPRETATION

Semifinalists

  • Katrin Serge Manashian and Maria Anatolieva Grancharova - Sofia, Second English Language School

  • Nia Bangeeva and Liliya Zhostova - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School

  • Dara Tsoncheva and Sophia Anova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  • Georgi Antonov Totev and Aleksandar Petrov Georgiev - Sofia, Second English Language School

  • Yoanna Ivanova and Yana Plamenova - Vision, Jordan Radichkov FLS

  • Diana Loginova and Sveltozara Georgieva - Sofia, 51st Elisaveta Bagryana School

Finalists

  1. Nadia Mateeva and Katerina Mateeva - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS

  2. Raya Hussain and Lubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  3. Katarina Atanasova and Anton Kotas - BPS

  4. Anna Dimitrova and Denislav Aleksandrov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS

  5. Kristian Ginev and Anton Mario Petrov - BPS

  6. Mila Zhelqzova Eneva and Kalina Filipova Vezarova -Sofia, Second English Language School

Top 3 Novice Speakers

  1. Katrin Serge Manashian and Maria - Sofia, Second English Language School

  2. Kristian Ginev and Anton Mario Petrov - BPS

  3. Raya Hussain and Lubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

ORIGINAL ORATORY

Semifinalists

  • Niya Ilieva - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School

  • Nevena Stoykova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School, Nevena Stoykova.

  • Stanislav Spasov Markovski - Sofia, Second English Language School

  • Desislava Nikolaeva - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS, Desislava Nikolaeva

  • Kaloyan Angelov - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School

  • Alexandra Stefanova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Alexandra Stefanova

Finalists

  1. Nicole Mihaylska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

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

  3. Mihaela Savova Taneva - Team Plovdiv

  4. Damin Kemalov Bozov - Sofia, Second English Language School

  5. Elena Pavlova Vyleva - Team Plovdiv

  6. Lubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

Top 3 Novice Speakers

  1. Lubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  2. Nevena Stoykova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  3. Kaloyan Angelov - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School

POETRY INTERPRETATION

Semifinalists

  • Lubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  • Yuliana Ribarska - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

  • Asya Dudinska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  • Deia Nitova -Vratsa, Ioan Ekzarh FELS

  • Petya Kuncheva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  • Neda Kostadinova - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

Finalists

  1. Rafail-Isaak Pirillis - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

  2. Preslava Rusalieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

  3. Yova Gancheva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

  4. Danaya Mitova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

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

  6. Tsvetina Tsvetkova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS

Top 3 Novice Speakers

  1. Petya Kuncheva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  2. Lubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

  3. Danaya Mitova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

PROSE INTERPRETATION

NOVICE

Finalists

  1. Ivana Tsvetanova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  2. Karina Andonova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  3. Emanuela Milova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  4. Kristina Konstantinova -  Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS

  5. Boris Zhekov - Sofia, 119th School

  6. Melani Genova - Sofia, 119th School

VARSITY

Semifinalists

  • Radomir Tsvetanov - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS

  • Konstantin Chervenkov - Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski,

  • Sveltozara Georgieva - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

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

  • Denislav Aleksandrov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS

  • Elis Imamova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

Finalists

  1. Emma Lebron -  Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  2. Deyan Chonev - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

  3. Lili Ivanova - Sofia, 119th School

  4. Sophia Anova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  5. Kaloyan Georgiev - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School

  6. Nadezhda Ivanova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS

TEAM AWARDS

Small Team Award - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS

Large Team Award - Team Plovdiv

BEST Foundation