site.bta53 Pupils from 21 Bulgarian Schools Abroad to Take Part in Bulgarian Reading Contest in London

Fifty-three pupils, 24 first graders and 29 second graders, from 21 Bulgarian schools abroad will participate on Saturday in the ninth international Bulgarian reading contest Az Buki Vedi. The competition will begin at 11 a.m. local time at the Bulgarian Embassy in London (186-188 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London).

The event is hosted this year by the Chuchuliga Bulgarian School in Croydon, London, which shared the information with BTA’s BG World service.

Originally, 24 schools from five countries, the UK, Germany, Spain, Slovakia, and France, registered for the contest. However, three schools later withdrew during the final stages of preparation.

In an earlier interview with BTA, the director of the Az Buki Vedi School in Cologne provided more insight into the contest’s origins and rules.

The idea for the competition was conceived by Dr. Lyubomir Lyubomirov, one of the co-founders of the Bulgarian Educational Center Az Buki Vedi in Cologne. It is modeled after similar reading contests in German schools. The first edition was held in 2011 as an internal competition at the Sunday school in Cologne and has been organized annually since. In 2017, Dr. Lyubomirov proposed to Rossitza Bairaktarski that the contest is expanded to include the broader international Bulgarian educational community.

Participants in the reading contest will go through three rounds.

In the first round, pupils will read a familiar prose text, starting with first graders, followed by second graders. While one group reads, the other will take part in creative activities in a designated room. All participants will advance to the second round, where they will read an unfamiliar prose text, once again in alternating order by grade.

After a break, a draw will be held to determine the host of the contest for 2027. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian School Cyril and Methodius in Paris will receive an honorary statuette as the official host of the 2026 edition.

A select number of students will proceed to the third round, chosen by a three-member jury consisting of Prof. Zhivka Koleva-Zlateva (chair), Assoc. Prof Iliana Chekova-Dimitrova (deputy chair), and State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad Senior Expert Lili Spasova. In this final stage, participants will read an unfamiliar poetic text.

After the final round, the jury will announce its decision and present the top honors. The title “King or Queen of Letters” will be awarded for first place, and the distinction “Master of Letters” for second place, both accompanied by special prizes.

After the official closing of the contest, participants will meet with Bulgarian Ambassador to the UK Tihomir Stoytchev.

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is the official media partner of this year’s edition of the international reading competition for Bulgarian first and second graders abroad. The event is held under the auspices of Ambassador Stoytchev and is hosted this year by the Bulgarian School Chuchuliga in Croydon, London.

Founded by the Bulgarian Sunday School Az Buki Vedi in Cologne, the contest is supported financially by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education and Science. It is also organized in partnership with the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad and the Prosveta Publishing House.