Traditionally, guests, participants, members of the jury were welcomed in the Literary Club "Peroto" with the music of Petko Staynov. "Rachenitsa" has been written several years after the young musician graduated from the Dresden Musical Academy in piano and composition and returned to Bulgaria. Although completely blind from the age of 11, in addition to being a musician and composer, Petko Staynov has been very active as chairman of the Union of Folk Choirs in Bulgaria, the Society of Bulgarian Composers "Contemporary Music" and the Chitalishte for the Blind "Louis Braille", director of the National Opera, member of the Bulgarian Academy of Science, founder and Chair of the Institute of Music with Museum at the Academy etc.
Maria Petkova from the Tulip Foundation opened the event with words about the strength and importance of professionalism and competence in every area of life. She presented the criteria by which the members of the jury have selected the awarded projects – the results; sustainability of activities over time; financial efficiency; participation of the target groups and the local community; innovation and applicability of the idea in other settlements.
The awards for 2020 were announced and presented by the members of the jury.
The project "Magical Tales", implemented by "NAYA Association", Targovishte in partnership with the International Organisation for Child Protection, Genoa, Italy and the Women's Centre, Karditsa, Greece, was presented by Svetlozar Zhelev, director of the National Book Centre. Anna Zaharieva, a member of the Board of Tulip Foundation, also shared her impressions. The award was accepted by Nina Nikolova from Naya Association and Daniela Dimitrova, director of Prikazka Kindergarten, a partner in the project.
Snezhina Petrova, theatre and film actress, head of the Theatre Department at New Bulgarian University and Ivaylo Slavov, CEO of Bulpros presented the project "Sustainable Future - a program for ecological culture and "green" entrepreneurial skills for young people with intellectual disabilities" of the Association for Support of Persons with Mental Disabilities, Varna. Stanka Momcheva told about the life of young people with intellectual disabilities and their activities for nature conservation during the pandemic.
Karin Dom Foundation received a special Project of the Year award for the many projects for children with disabilities and their families implemented over the past 25 years. Zhechka Ivanova, a participant in the activities of the organisation since the very beginning, told about the versatile and hard work of the team.
During this very different year, 15 very different and timely projects from all over the country were nominated in the competition. At the end of the evening Maria Petkova thanked all participants in the competition and guests of the event, underlining that each project has its place and significance, and each nominated project has already been awarded with the trust of the people who presented it.
The awards are specially made by Georgi Chapkanov.
The ceremony was organised with the media partnership of the Bulgarian NGO’s Information Portal and with the support of the National Palace of Culture.
