Second painting competition for children organized in Bulgaria by the HFC

As many as 250 pupils (7 – 17 years old) from about 30 towns in Bulgaria have entered the second competition “Greece through the eyes of children” with a total of 300 works. The painting competition was organized for the second year in a row by the Centre of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture in co-operation with the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO). The participants used a variety of materials and painting techniques. A total of 22 primary and secondary schools participated in the competition. The Bulgarian audience showed a great interest in the competition, which is turning into an institution.
The young creators attempt to present Greece through their own eyes: the Greek history and culture, the traditions and the monuments. The paintings reveal the powerful ability of the children to “travel” to Greece – a country which most of them have never visited, but which they have imagined through the books, the narratives of adults and the things they have been taught at school.
“Children are the future of the world”, notes the director of the HFC Centre, professor at the University of Veliko Turnovo, Mr. Dimitrios Roumbos. “Such events contribute to the development of the cultural relations between Greece and Bulgaria and promote the peaceful co-existence of the peoples of the two countries in the frame of the United Europe”. The prizes (trips to Greece) are supported by the Greek National Tourism Organization.

The Prizes

The prize for the first category, 7 – 9 years old, was given to the 8 year old Gergana Detseva, from the city of Dryanovo. The prize: a 3-day trip to Thassos and Kavala. Honorary prizes were awarded to Elena Doganova, 10, from Varna and Gerasim Kostantinov, 7, from Kazanlak.

The prize for the second category, 10 – 13 years old, was awarded to the 11 year old Martin Liubenov, from Sevlievo. The prize: a 3-day trip to Meteora. The winners of honorary prizes were Kalina Georgieva, 12, from the city of Sevlievo and Danielson Kose, 13 years old, from Varna.

The prize for the third category, 14 – 17 years old, was given to the 14 year old Ekaterina Vasileva from Burgas. The prize: a 5-day trip to Corfu. Honorary prizes were awarded to Zana Vasileva, 15, from the city of Sevlievo and Zenia Tsaneva, 16 years old, from Kazanlak.