BNR announces new Bulgarian Ambassadors of Culture

At a solemn ceremony at the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia, the Bulgarian National Radio announced the names of the new holders of the title "Bulgarian Ambassador of Culture" in the campaign of the same name, the fifth edition of which is being held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Iliana Iotova.

The new Bulgarian Ambassadors of Culture, nominated by the audience of the public radio and subsequently selected by an authoritative jury, are Eurovision star DARA, art critic Dr. Nadezhda Dzhakova, the chief conductor of the Bulgarian Army and head of the Representative Brass Band of the National Guards Unit, Lt.Col. Radi Radev, sculptor Ivan Kanchev, ballet master and choreographer Prof. Anton Andonov and the main driver for the opening of the first lectorate in Bulgarian language and culture at the University of Pristina - Dr. Mimoza Hasani.

They received statuettes made by sculptor Raynis Gelov.

"When this initiative began in 2021, we supported the proposal of our colleague Nina Tsaneva, because at the Bulgarian National Radio we believe that culture is of particular importance in shaping our image in the world, as cultural diplomacy is something very special. Its results are memorable and self-replicating. When a person reads a Bulgarian book, they are interested in looking for other Bulgarian authors. When one hears a Bulgarian song, they starts looking for other Bulgarian performers. This expansion of the cultural territory of Bulgaria is part of the public commitment of the National Radio to Bulgarian culture," Director General of the BNR, Milen Mitev, said during the solemn ceremony in the evening hours of June 17.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova pointed out:

"Where diplomacy opens doors, culture wins hearts. I believe that the connections that culture builds are the ones that endure over time, endure when there are challenges and various crises that surround us. It is all of you who, with your talent, inspire not only us, but also people beyond the borders of our country and show a face of Bulgaria that is recognizable, accepted and respected and I think that you are one of the most important ambassadors that our country can have."

This year, the seven-member jury of the campaign, composed of representatives of various institutions, unanimously decided to present an incentive prize, which went to Tsvetina Gramova - a musician, teacher and cultural activist, who is one of the brightest guardians of Bulgarian folklore and has made a particularly significant contribution to its popularization throughout the world.

Tsvetina Gramova is the winner of dozens of national and international awards and distinctions. From the age of five until today, she has never missed a festival in Koprivshtitsa and her performances have always received medals, diplomas and recognitions. Her international appearances began at the age of 15 in the Italian city of Bolzano and later with the Academic Folk Choir at the Academy of Music in Plovdiv at the European Youth Choir Festival in Basel – Switzerland.

The winner of the "Bulgarian Ambassador of Culture" award, Dr. Nadezhda Dzhakova, is the most successful commissioner of the Bulgarian participation at the Venice Art Biennale. The Bulgarian presentation under her leadership two years ago was exceptional – out of 80 participating countries, The Observer and The Guardian placed the Bulgarian pavilion in sixth position in the Top 10 places to visit at the Biennale. Dr. Nadezhda Dzhakova was among the few specially invited by the Vatican to meet Pope Francis during his visit to the largest contemporary art forum.

The Chief Conductor of the Bulgarian Army and head of the Representative Brass Band of the National Guards Unit, Lt.Col. Radi Radev, is one of the most prominent and beloved conductors, a person with undisputed authority and a significant contribution to musical culture.

The Representative Brass Band of the National Guards Unit has participated many times in parades of military brass bands and in music festivals abroad. This year the musicians took part in the International Music Parade of Military and Brass Bands from March 5 to 16 in Germany. The statuette "Bulgarian Ambassador of Culture" was presented to Lt.Col. Radev by the Deputy Minister of Defence Katerina Gramatikova-Ivanova.

The third recipient of the "Bulgarian Ambassadors of Culture 2025" award, Dr. Mimoza Hasani-Pllana, is a literary critic and lecturer at the University of Pristina. She has an important contribution to the opening of the first lectorate in Bulgarian language and culture at the university in the capital of Kosovo. Upon receiving her award from the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Academician Nikolay Vitanov, Dr. Mimoza Hasani-Pllana said:

"Bulgaria has long held an important place in my heart. This is the country where I completed my doctoral and postdoctoral research at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski - an experience that had a profound impact on my academic development and brought me closer to the Bulgarian language, culture and intellectual life. My lecturer and mentor, Prof. Russana Beyleri, also holds a special place in this journey. My connection with Bulgaria has also deepened through my family life as the wife of a diplomat who served as the head of the mission of the Republic of Kosovo in Bulgaria. For this reason, I accept this award not only as professional recognition, but also as a reflection of a sincere and enduring relationship. Thank you for this high honour!"

The next who received award in the "Bulgarian Ambassadors of Culture 2025" campaign is sculptor Ivan Kanchev - a contemporary Bulgarian artist with an extremely active international activity, whose work represents this country at the most significant world events in the field of contemporary ceramic art. He is the winner of over 50 national and international awards and is the author of dozens of solo and collective exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad.

Darina Yotova – DARA also became the holder of the title "Bulgarian Ambassador of Culture". In addition to her charisma, the Eurovision winner is characterised by positivity, creativity, hard work and high professionalism. Through her success, she showed that Bulgaria is rich in competitive artists and that the world stage belongs to them. DARA participated in the award ceremony with a video message from Greece, where she is taking part in Greek music awards.

Prof. Anton Andonov – ballet master and choreographer, deputy rector of the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Asen Diamandiev" in Plovdiv, also received well-deserved recognition. For the people from the International Folklore Formation "Youth of the Square" (Mladost na ploshtada), who nominated him, he is the man who managed to realize a seemingly impossible idea – to gather 32 young Bulgarians, born and raised in France, Germany, England, Spain and the Netherlands, in one ensemble, and to give them the opportunity to experience the highest examples of Bulgarian folklore art.

The Bulgarian National Radio campaign does not end with the selection of the six Bulgarian Ambassadors of Culture. In the next months, the BNR will continue to promote their activities through its programs and will discuss important issues of the country's cultural policy with them.