It was an honour for the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute to take part in the 13th edition of the International Youth Literary and Film Festival “Friendship – Meaning and Salvation”, organised by Ms. Alberta Alkalay and the team of our long-standing partners from the Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Center “Alef” in Burgas.

The Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute was represented by its Director, Ms. Tanya Mihaylova, and Ms. Mihaela Ilieva, Chief Expert in the Public Affairs and Cooperation Department.

The Director of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute presented an award to one of the festival’s laureates, Yoana Kostadinova, a 10th-grade student at 134th “Dimcho Debelyanov” Secondary School in Sofia, who was recognised for her short story “Just Like the Stars – The Story of Amalia Aronova”. The prize is a one-day visit to the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, providing an opportunity to learn more about the functions of the diplomatic service and career opportunities within it. When presenting the award, Ms. Mihaylova noted that “it is not only literary and creative achievements that are being recognised, but also the ability to remember, to empathise and to defend human dignity.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was represented by Ms. Hristiyana Grozdanova, Acting Director of the Human Rights Directorate, who presented an award to the laureates in the “Video Story” category. Two students from “Vasil Levski” Secondary School in Krumovgrad, Elena Petrova and Eren Ali, were recognised for their impressive video story about the Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara.

The ceremony was also attended by Burgas Mayor, Mr. Dimitar Nikolov, representatives of the diplomatic corps and other official guests.

The festival brought together young authors from 15 European countries and Israel. Over the course of three days, they met established Bulgarian and international authors and took part in interactive workshops, lectures and cultural events dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and the historic achievement of saving Bulgaria’s Jews.

On the final day of the festival programme, representatives of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute took part in the opening of the “Alley of Humanity” in the Sea Garden of Burgas, where magnolia trees were planted in honour of prominent Bulgarians who contributed to saving human lives: Dimitar Peshev, Baba Ganka and Dr. Stefan Cherkezov.

The Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute is a sponsor of the festival for another consecutive year, alongside other Bulgarian institutions.