Excitement at its Peak: BEST Foundation Holds Second Tournament of the Academic Year

The second tournament of the 2025-2026 academic year took place from the 29th till the 30th of November, 2025, in the picturesque city of Plovdiv. It was hosted by the University of Food Technologies. 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 309 participants from 22 schools from 13 cities from all over Eastern Bulgaria, alongside 1 independent debate team. The weekend was filled with challenging debates, impactful speeches, enjoyable performances and unforgettable moments. 

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 – Plovdiv24, Marica, Под тепето, Kapana.bg. 

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 – Angela Rodel, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Bulgaria, winner of the International Booker Prize, Senior Lecturer Nikolay Zhelyazkov, Deputy Director of the Department of Language Training, Physical Education and Sport, Svetoslav Dragiev, Executive Director of the Lead By Example Foundation, Valya Nadova – America for Bulgaria Foundation, Rada Kaneva, Program Officer at Fulbright Bulgaria, Eric Brassil, Public Engagement Officer.

Our next tournament, organized for students from Western Bulgaria, is going to be held after the winter holidays from the 7th till the 8th of February in the capital city of Sofia, at the building of 51st Secondary School “Elisaveta Bagryana”.

Participating Schools/Teams

Burgas, English Language School Geo Milev

Dimitrovgrad, Foreign Language School Dr. Ivan Bogotov

Dobrich, St. Kliment Ohridski Secondary School

Dobrich, Language School Geo Milev

Gabrovo, Aprilov National School

Haskovo, Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS

Kardzhali, Foreign Language School Hristo Botev

Razgrad, Ekzarh Yosif Foreign Language School

Ruse, St. Constantine Cyril the Philosopher Secondary School of European Languages

Ruse, English Language School Geo Milev

Ruse, Baba Tonka High School of Mathematics

Shumen, Nancho Popovich Maths and Science High School

Shumen, Nikola Yonkov Vaptsarov Foreign Language School

Silistra, Foreign Language High School Peyo Yavorov

Sliven, Zahari Stoyanov High School of Western Languages

Stara Zagora, Romain Rolland Foreign Language High School

Smolyan, Ivan Vazov High School of Teaching of Foreign Languages

Sofia, SoftUni BUDITEL

Varna, Independent School of Thought

Varna, First Language School

Varna, Fourth Language School Frederick Jolio-Curie

Varna, Fifth Language School Yoan Ekzarh

Varna, Dr. Petar Beron High School of Mathematics

Awards

DUO INTERPRETATION

Finalists

  1. Iva Dimitrova and Bilyana Petkova - Varna, First Language School

  2. Melisa Mehmed and Darina Bosilkova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  3. Victoria Mihneva and Yoana Dimitrova, Peyo Yavorov

  4. Stela Marinova and Maria Nikolova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  5. Kristina Kostadinova and Sofia Yordanova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  6. Elena Nikolova and Sandriano-Kristofar Radonchik -Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

Top 3 Novice Speakers

  1. Simon Pavlova and Desislava Stoyanova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  2. Aksu Zekerieva and Elena Georgieva - Shumen, Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science

  3. Iva Dimitrova and Bilyana Petkova - Varna, First Language School

ORIGINAL ORATORY

Novice Finalists

  1. Iva Dimitrova - Varna, First Language School

  2. Ronay Nevzat - Razgrad, Ekzarh Yossif FLHS

  3. Maria Georgieva - Varna, First Language School

  4. Manol Mihov - Varna, First Language School

  5. Edzhrin Mehmed - Kardzhali, Hristo Botev FLS

  6. Maria Uzunova - Kardzhali, Hristo Botev FLS

Varsity Finalists

  1. Dimana Nencheva - Varna, First Language School

  2. Bozhana Liteva - Varna, First Language School

  3. Mihail Indzhov - Gabrovo, Aprilov National

  4. Yordan Deyanov - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

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

  6. Aleksandar Ivanov - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

POETRY INTERPRETATION

Finalists

  1. Kristiyana Hristozova - Stara Zagora, Romain Rolland FLHS

  2. Adelina Tsvetkova  - Shumen, Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science

  3. Julia Todorova - Varna, First Language School

  4. Alexa Nikolaeva - Razgrad, Ekzarh Yossif FLHS

  5. Ana-Kristina Zdravkova - Dobrich, Geo Milev FLHS

  6. Levena Avramova - Dobrich, Geo Milev FLHS

Top 3 Novice Speakers

  1. Katrin Raynova Raynova - Sliven, Zaharii Stoyanov ELS

  2. Kaloyan Popov - Shumen, Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science

  3. Maya Nedeva - Shumen, Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science

PROSE INTERPRETATION

Finalists

  1. Elena Nikolova - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  2. Aleksandar Ivanov - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  3. Raya Andreeva - Razgrad, Ekzarh Yossif FLHS

  4. Yordan Deyanov - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  5. Melisa Mehmed - Silistra, Peyo Yavorov

  6. Emirkan Mustafa - Razgrad, Ekzarh Yossif FLHS

Top 3 Novice Speakers

  1. Daniela Dinkova Petrova - Sliven, Zaharii Stoyanov ELS

  2. Iva Asenova Samuilova - Smolyan, Ivan Vasov Language School

  3. Yoana Krasteva - Smolyan, Ivan Vasov Language School

TEAM AWARDS

Small Team Award - Kardzhali, Hristo Botev FLS

Large Team Award - Varna, First Language School

BEST Foundation