The Volunteer initiative 2022 awards were announced at a public ceremony at the Ball room in The
National Gallery the Palace on 21 December. During the year more than ever we had occasions to
witness the strength and the role of volunteers, they were on the first line in coping with the impact of
the pandemic, the war, the floods, the forest fires along with the numerous local initiatives.
Thousands of volunteers took part in hundreds of initiatives around the country.
Diana Kovatcheva, Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, Manol Peykov from Publishing House
ZHANET 45 and Alexey Lazarov, Chef editor of Capital Newspaper, were members of the Jury. This
year awards were given to three categories of initiatives. Elena Cherneva, deputy Ombudsman of the
Republic of Bulgaria, congratulated the participants and the guests on behalf of the Ombudsman
Diana Kovatcheva. She presented the local initiatives in support to people – help for children,
classmates, older people, people with addictions, disabilities or cancer, students with special needs,
summer schools, libraries, kindergartens, encouragement for reading, prevention of addictions among
young people. Revival of a village, reconstruction of an old fountain, cleaning the mountains,
recycling. Volunteers from different places, different age and different interests stood next to each
other and congratulated each other for their achievements.
Manol Peykov expressed satisfaction from so many and various activities of volunteers and especially
young volunteers in the country. He told a story about giving in Bulgaria from a century ago – the
story about Dimitar Kudogly from Plovdiv. He continued with the presentation of the initiatives for
support to people in the flooded villages in Karlovo Municipality. Representatives of Gorata BG, Sv,
Paissi Hilendarski School in Haskovo and a group of volunteers united by the will to help others in
difficult moments, received the certificates.
Alexey Lazarov spoke about the hundreds and thousands of volunteers who for ten months now
organise all kind of campaigns to support people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Volunteers from Club
Smile at Vasil Levski School in Valchi Dol, Greenpeace Bulgari, Mati Ukraine, Ukrainian Supprt and
Renovation Foundation Plovdiv, Open Heath Foundation Varna, Gorata BG and Foundation For the
Good were congratulate with longstanding ovations.
Ivo Ivanov, Maria Nosikova and Tian Nu Chjou, students at the National Musical School Lubomir
Pipkov contributed to the festive atmosphere. A wish for happy holidays and good deeds was shared
at the end of the evening.
With colleagues from NAVA we organised the competition Volunteer initiative 2022 for a twelfth
successive year. This year we received 37 nominations different initiatives from around the country –
from civil organisations, chitalishte, schools, clubs and volunteer groups. These are nominated by
volunteers, civil organisations, schools, chitalishte, citizens, mayors.