At a solemn ceremony, under the patronage of the Vice President of Bulgaria Iliana Yotova, today will be awarded the "Bulgarian Woman of the Year" award – Saint Zlata Muglenska 2023".
With it, the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad honors one of our compatriots around the world, who with her activity has contributed to the preservation of Bulgarian national self-awareness and cultural identity abroad.
"Bulgarian woman of the year" is one of the favorite initiatives of the IABCH, to which I have a personal relationship, since Prof. Plamen Pavlov and I founded it in 2009." – the executive director of the Agency, Raina Mandjukova, pointed out in this regard.
And since there are not one or two of our compatriots in the world who protect Bulgarian national dignity, support the development of Bulgarian associations, participate in the organization of charity events and projects dedicated to Bulgaria and zealously educate Bulgarians born abroad in love for the language and our traditions, this year IABCH introduced a new moment – audience award. Through a special online platform compatriots from all over the world had the opportunity to vote for one of 24 nominated ladies from 19 countries and thus to broadcast the first winner of the award "Favorite Bulgarian woman of the audience".
"We offered the nominations to the public in Bulgaria and abroad so that, on the one hand, people could see what Bulgarians we have abroad and how many of our compatriots there are who care for the Bulgarian, who sacrifice efforts, time that maybe they could give it to their families, and they do it for the preservation of the Bulgarian language, for the Bulgarian culture and for the promotion of the Bulgarian language abroad." – explains Raina Mandjukova to Radio Bulgaria.
The very fact that a person is nominated is already an award. "This means that her work, her self-sacrifice has already been noticed, and that is why we wanted the whole society to learn their names and, perhaps, choose one of them to vote for, who will receive the audience's favorite Bulgarian award" – added Mrs. Mandjukova.
An authoritative commission, including in its composition Prof. Plamen Pavlov, Prof. Ana Kocheva, the general director of BTA Kiril Valchev, the general director of the BNR Milen Mitev, the director of the Diplomatic Institute Tanya Mihailova, the director of the State Cultural Institute Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova and the executive director of the IABCH Raina Mandjukova, reviewed and evaluated the nominations to determine the winner of the prestigious award named after St. Zlata Muglenska. The elegant statuette, made by sculptor Atanas Karadichev, will traditionally be presented to her by Vice President Iliana Yotova, whose responsibilities include exercising the powers of the President in relation to Bulgarians abroad.
The event will take place in the "Maxima" hall. at the University of National and World Economy (UNSS) in Sofia, from 1:00 p.m. on October 18.