THREE YEARS “BISTRA & GALINA” FONDATION

The Mission of the “Bistra & Galina” Foundation comprises the accomplishment of activities aiming at creation of conditions for nurturing persons of a rich spiritual and cultural background, encouragement of the creative and constructive beginning in young people, contribution to the further development of the cultural communication among people. The assigned aim defines the areas of support: education, professional training and the creative development of talented young people from Rousse and the region.
Three years ago, on July 10, 1998, this was the justification to launch an activity for which I was psychologically ready long before that but which could be realised only after the building of the “Bistra & Galina” Hotel. The life-span of the organisation is comparatively short but the figures illustrating the activities accomplished testify to the action range of this young structure.
72 companies, organisations and 28 individual sponsors are placed confidence in us and gave their contri-bution for the accomplishment of our joint objectives. None the less gratifying is the enthusiasm of students and teachers from 28 schools in the Rousse region. The result is support of 314 338 levs provided basically within the programmes of the Foundation: “The Talented Children of Rousse”, “The Family of the Good People”, “Partnership”, “Open Programme”.
The “Bistra & Galina” Foundation takes pride in the laureates of national and international awards and annual grantees of the Foundation: Victor Vulkov - undergraduate - piano /two years/, Irina Peneva - “Poster and Applied Graphics” /4 years/, Victor Karagiaurov - student - mathematics; Ina Selvelieva - undergraduate - piano /2 years/; Evgeni Bojanov - undergraduate - piano; Boyana Antonova - undergraduate - cello /2 years/; Pavel Belchev - undergraduate - mathematics, informatics /2 years/; Ivan Nikolaev - undergraduate - medicine; Alexandra Gabrovska - student - pictorial art /2 years/; Dilyan Ivanov - student - piano; Tihomir Todorov - student - mathematics and informatics; Mihail Nenov - undergraduate - Korean studies; Yanitsa Hristova - student - piano /2 years/; Milena Stoykova - undergraduate - ballet; Ralitsa Penkova - student - piano; Bojana Sokolova - student - violin; Filip Petkov - student - piano; Steliana Barakova - student - piano; Silvia Kyoseva - student - piano; Lidia Terzieva - undergraduate - design; Yoana Kortova - student - pictorial art ; Ivelin Trifonov - undergraduate - pictorial art; Aleksander Velikov - undergraduate - mathematics and physics; Georgi Kudrev - student - mathematics and informatics; Ivan Dobrev - student - mathematics and informatics; Momchil Kyurkchiev - student - mathematics and informatics; Delyan Pavlov - student - chemistry; Angel Topalov - student - physics; Elitsa Raeva and Rostislav Raev - students - chess; Paola Vorobiova and Georgi Vorobiov - students - classical ballet.
For the first time in the 49 - year history of UNESCO Bulgaria was awarded a medal in the sphere of education and it came to Rousse. The Secondary Vocational School of Machinebuilding “Atanas Burov” was awarded the “Jan Komenski” medal for contribution to integrated education, which was accomplished with the support of the “Bistra & Galina” Foundation within the programme “The Family of the Good People”. On September 6, 2001 the award was presented in Geneva, Switzerland.
In 2001 the Foundation was awarded the prizes of “Darik Radio” for econo-mics. The Foundation was singled out for an investment with the greatest social effect.
In the book “Partnership for Local Development – Successful Practices in Bulgaria” published by the Foundation for Reform in the Local Government and Foundation “Start for Effective Civil Initiatives” /2001/ the Region of Rousse is presented with the “Bistra & Galina” Foundation and its two initiatives “Future for the Children” and “The Family of the Good People”.
The years 2000 and 2001 were devoted to the provision of humanitarian aid together with the Dutch organisation “Stichting Dialysehulp Buitenland” amounting to 88 600 levs distributed in 24 organisations, schools, hospitals, orphanages.
For two years now we have been orga-nising an annual “Summer Children’s Academy”. The “academics” aged 10-15 are provided with possibilities to develop their knowledge and skills in five fields: mathematics, linguistics, chess, art and dance.
The realisation of the programmes and projects as well as the visualisation of the Foundation in the social space of Rousse became possible because of the dedicated work of the people working towards the attainment of these ideas during 1999 - 2002.
Members of the Board of the Foundation - Diana Antonova - executive director; Maestro Milen Nachev - chief conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio; Luibov Draganova - director of Department of Eurointegration and Bilateral Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Science; Yordanka Nenova - chairperson of School Association SAGE; Doctor Bojidar Nikolov - internist; Petya Trendafilova - notary; Victor Haimov - director of “Adraha College”, organisation for training of young Israeli leaders.

Coordinators - Velina Tsekova, Maya Paskaleva, Marieta Belcheva

Experts - Katya Petrova - social policy; Emilia Nikolova - pictorial art; Todor Nenov - literature; Teodor Todorov - media.

Accept my gratitude and deep respect, dear friends!

Strashimir Burdarov - founder and president of the “Bistra & Galina” Foundation and proprietor of the “Bistra & Galina” Hotel