site.btaCyprus-based BG Factor Website Receives National Endowment Fund 13 Centuries of Bulgaria Award in 2025

The National Endowment Fund 13 Centuries of Bulgaria presented its traditional award for contribution to the dissemination of Bulgarian culture by a Bulgarian-language media abroad. The event took place on Saturday at  BTA’s MaxiM Multimedia Center Hall, during the 20th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, organized by the Bulgarian News Agency.

The Cyprus-based BG Factor website received this year’s award. The award was presented to editor-in-chief Zhivka Milova, who is also director of the Bulgarian School in Paralimni, Cyprus by Desislava Petkova, a project expert with the Fund.

The award ceremony is part of the program of the 20th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, which opened in Sofia on Saturday, May 24.

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said that BG Factor with its long-standing presence and consistent editorial policy supports the Bulgarian language and cultural identity among Bulgarians abroad. The media contributes to a better understanding of Bulgarian culture among both compatriots and foreign audiences by combining its educational and cultural mission in cooperation with the Bulgarian School Narodni Buditel" in Paralimni. He also noted the contribution of editor-in-chief Zhivka Milova, who as a school leader and journalist with professionalism and dedication deserves recognition as a cultural leader.

“This is a big surprise for me, because I did not expect such recognition. I am very happy that I can take my place next to Dora Kostova, Yasen Darakov, Hemus magazine, my colleague Kamelia Ilieva, who recently passed away, people I admired very much. The main credit for this award goes to the founder of our website, Eva Ivanova, who has actually been working in this field since 2006,” said Zhivka Milova. 

“Ivanova is the founder of the Bulgarian newspaper, which was published weekly in print for eight years, then the print edition of BG Factor magazine and then our information website. Without her persistence, her drive and her unshakeable faith that this is what we need and that we should not give up, perhaps I would not be here now,” Milova further said.

The award of the National Endowment Fund 13 Centuries of Bulgaria was established in 2013 in recognition of the efforts of Bulgarian journalists abroad to preserve the Bulgarian language, culture and national identity. The award is presented annually during the World Meeting of Bulgarian Media.

In 2024, the award was presented to BTA’s Press Club in Odesa, with the Agency's correspondent Svetlana Dragneva accepting the distinction.