Event Program - Hall 3, NDK
13:30 – 14:30
Registration
Please arrive early to register and find a seat in the hall.
14:30
Progrаm begins
14:45
Welcome
Kenneth H. Merten
US Ambassador to Bulgaria
14:55
15 years & the story continues…
Nancy L. Schiller
President & CEO, America for Bulgaria Foundation
15:05 – 16:20
The power of &
Georgi Gospodinov
Writer, poet, playwright, and the first Bulgarian recipient of the International Booker prize
&
Angela Rodel
Linguist, translator, executive director of Fulbright Bulgaria, and recipient of the International Booker prize
Iskra Djanabetska
Co-founder, Knigovishte
&
Louisa Slavkova
Founder, Sofia Platform
&
Todor Popov
Co-founder, Maina TOWN
Nadejda Rangelova
Cofounder, Za Dobroto Foundation / Firefly Project
William Parkinson
Curator and Professor of Anthropology, Field Museum and University of Illinois at Chicago
&
Petranka Nedelcheva
Head of Exhibition and International Department, National Museum of History of Bulgaria
Donika Georgieva
Co-founder, Architectural Studio Atelier 3
Biser Georgiev
Fisherman, Chairman, Amur-Nikopol Association
16:20 – 16:55
Coffee break
17:00 – 18:25
The power of &
Beauty & the Beast
Reni Petrova and Zori Dimitrova Duo, Best Foundation
Chris Zahariev
Vlogger and film director
Yariv Lerner
CEO, Nu Boyana Film Studios
Petar Vanev
Head of Police District in Ruse, participant in the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP)
Nedislav Veselinov
Director, head engineer, Andromeda Planetarium Sofia
Raycho Raychev
Founder and CEO, EnduroSat
&
Kevin O'Connell
Founder, Space Economy Rising
Melanie Kirkpatrick
Member of the Board of Directors of the America for Bulgaria Foundation
&
Lyubomir Lozanov
Member of the Board of Directors of the America for Bulgaria Foundation
&
Pavela Kostova
Journalist, Radio Free Europe, graduate of the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s Media E:volution Program
Christo Grozev
Investigative journalist, Bellingcat Productions, contributor to the Oscar-winning documentary Navalny, and an American University in Bulgaria graduate
18:25
Closing remarks
Desislava Taliokova
Executive Director, America for Bulgaria Foundation
18:30 – 20:30
Cocktail
Who are the speakers
Georgi Gospodinov
is a Bulgarian poet, writer, and playwright. “One of the foremost European writers of today,” according to Argentinian writer and historian of reading habits Alberto Manguel. Gospodinov achieved international fame with his debut novel, Natural Novel (1999), published in 23 languages. He is also the author of the award-winning novel The Physics of Sorrow (2012), the plays D.J. (an abbreviation of Don Juan) and The Apocalypse Comes at 6 PM (2010), the libretto for Space Opera (2015, Poznan, composer A. Novak), the graphic novel The Eternal Fly (together with the artist N. Toromanov), and four short story collections. Blind Vaysha, a short animation (directed by Theo Ushev) based on Gospodinov’s short story, was an Oscar nominee in 2017. His latest book, the novel Time Shelter, translated into English by Angela Rodel, won the International Booker Prize in 2023.
https://georgigospodinov.com/en/bio
Angela Rodel
is the executive director of the Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange (Fulbright Bulgaria). She first came to Bulgaria in 1996 to study Bulgarian language and folklore at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. The experience served her in her studies in linguistics and ethnomusicology back home. In 2004, Angela received a Fulbright scholarship to study Bulgarian folk music at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. Since moving permanently to Bulgaria in 2005, Angela has been performing music, appearing in films and TV shows, and working as a professional translator of Bulgarian literature into English. Among the novels she has translated into English are Thrown into Nature by Milen Ruskov (2011), 18% Gray by Zahary Karabashliev (2013), The Physics of Sorrow by Georgi Gospodinov (2013), Wolf Hunt by Ivaylo Petrov (2017), and Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov (2022), which won the International Booker Prize in 2023.
https://www.fulbright.bg/
Iskra Djanabetska
is a cofounder of the children’s online educational platform Knigovishte and the first Bulgarian online news site for children Vijte: the News in Children’s Own Language. She has many years of experience in the design and management of educational projects. Since 2023, Iskra is also the program director of the Children's Literary Festival of Sofia, run by the Bulgarian Book Association. Together with Desi Gavrilova and Yana Genova, she cofounded Knigovishte in 2019 to improve reading and functional literacy among the country’s youth through the application of international best practices. Their goal is for Knigovishte and Vijte to become faithful assistants to children, teachers, and parents in mastering not only reading literacy and critical thinking, but also the civic skills necessary for well-being in the 21st century. Knigovishte works with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
https://www.knigovishte.bg/about-us
Louisa Slavkova
is the founder and executive director of the Sofia Platform Foundation, a political scientist, and an author with extensive experience in foreign policy, democracy development, and civic education. She received her MA in political science, history, and American literature from the University of Cologne and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Sofia. Louisa has held various positions throughout her career, including a visiting fellow at Columbia University, programs manager at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and adviser to Bulgaria’s former foreign and climate ministers. In 2013, she founded the Sofia Platform Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on civic education and dealing with the country’s communist past. She is the co-author of two textbooks on civic education in Bulgaria and has authored and edited several books and publications on foreign policy and democracy development. In 2021, Louisa co-founded THE CIVICS Innovation Hub and now serves as one of its three managing partners, overseeing operations in Sofia. She is also a civics course instructor at New Bulgarian University and a frequent contributor to Bulgarian and international outlets on democracy in Bulgaria and the region.
https://www.sofiaplatform.org/en/our-team/
Todor Popov
works in finance and most recently specialized in Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. During the last 12 years, he managed the Bulgarian branch of financial technology company SumUp, growing the team from four to 430 people. He previously held various roles at EY, Deloitte, KPMG, Titan, and others. Over the past few years, he has been actively involved in the Maina Town project, which is focused on local culture and has a varied portfolio of digital and print comics guides, video products, and numerous art, culture, and sports events.
https://mainatown.bg/
Nadejda Rangelova
is a co-founder and chair of Za Dobroto Foundation, working for change in healthcare in Bulgaria. Her refusal to resign herself to the status quo is her greatest strength. Za Dobroto was founded in 2019 as the citizen initiative #ZaDobrotoProject, which united more than 28,000 volunteers and donors. The organization was among the first to launch centers to support those fleeing the war in Ukraine, and so far over 15,000 Ukrainian citizens have received assistance through them. A main focus of Za Dobroto Foundation is improving the physical environment in children’s hospitals and overhauling pediatric care in Bulgaria. Through the Firefly project, supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation, Za Dobroto is renovating children’s wards across the country. The transformed wards are healing environments for little patients and their caregivers and ensure safer working conditions for hospital staff.
William A. Parkinson
is a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and curator of anthropology at the Field Museum in that city. He is a specialist in European and Eastern Mediterranean prehistory. His archeological research examines the emergence and social dynamics of the first states. Together with fellow scientists, he also leads archaeological research projects in Hungary and Greece and is the curator of international exhibitions on Ancient Greece, the Vikings, and the ancient populations of the Mediterranean. He is the co-curator of the First Kings of Europe exhibition, which opened at the Field Museum in March. The exhibition is an unprecedented international collaboration between North America and Southeast Europe, featuring more than 700 artifacts from the collections of 26 museums in 11 Southeast European countries. The Bulgarian artifacts’ participation in the exhibition was supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation. Artifacts from the National History Museum in Sofia, the Regional History Museum in Ruse, and the Varna Regional Museum of History are exhibit highlights. First Kings will be in Chicago through January 2024 and in Quebec, Canada, between February 2024 and January 2025.
https://www.fieldmuseum.org/
Petranka Nedelcheva
is a specialist in the field of archeology and museology, the head of the Exhibition and International Department at the National Museum of History in Sofia, and an assistant professor in archeology at New Bulgarian University. Over the years, she worked on numerous international projects in Turkey, Greece, Georgia, Romania, and others. She specialized at the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin and later received a postdoctoral fellowship at the Field Museum in Chicago. Bulgaria’s participation in the First Kings of Europe exhibition is partly due to her efforts.
https://historymuseum.org/
Donika Georgieva
is a doctor of architecture, cultural heritage researcher and author, and an assistant professor of cultural heritage preservation at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy in Sofia. She has specialized in Greece, USA, Luxembourg, Australia, and Serbia. In 2013, Donika co-founded Atelier 3, an architectural studio based in Sofia. The studio’s work is focused on conserving and interpreting cultural heritage sites of different scale and typology. The studio’s approach is guided by the motto “Mind the context!” In its projects, the studio takes into account all historical, cultural, and social layers and tries to interpret the context to create an environment that engages, excites, and inspires. After a competition, Atelier 3 was selected to overhaul the Treasures of Vratsa exhibition at the Regional History Museum in Vratsa. The project was completed with the financial support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
https://atelie-3.com/
Biser Georgiev
from Nikopol is a professional fisherman and has been the chairman of the Amur Nikopol Association since 2014. The mission of the association is to develop sustainable fishing in harmony with the environment and local cultural and historical traditions. The Association’s project “The Danube for the Eyes, Heart, and Palate” was realized with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation through the Tourism along the Danube RFP.
Reni Petrova & Zori Dimitrova
met five years ago as participants in the BEST Foundation’s public speaking competitions in English. They became fast friends and began a creative collaboration that continues to this day. “On stage we share our thoughts, innermost ideas, and even melodies, hoping that they convey the same beauty and meaning to people out there as they do to us,” the talented duo says.
https://bestfoundation.bg/
Chris Zahariev
is a popular Bulgarian vlogger and filmmaker. In 2018, he was named Awakener of the Year by Bulgarian National Radio and Television for his documentary web series Getting Lost on Purpose, and in 2019 he was awarded the Most Outstanding Young Personality of Bulgaria award by TOYP International. He directed the music videos of rising-star music duo MOLETS, which have been viewed over 20 million times. “7 Days” won BG Radio’s Music Video of the Year award. Chris is the co-founder of Hrabar (“Brave”), a Bulgarian streetwear brand born with the mission to help. His debut book Getting Lost on Purpose details his travels around Bulgaria.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKqBxR5Ys-IqZ0WpZx9m7Vw
Yariv Lerner
is the CEO of Nu Boyana Film Studios, one of the leading film production and post-production studios in Europe, based in Sofia, Bulgaria. He is the producer of over 40 feature films. Born in Israel, he spent his childhood in South Africa and later moved to California, where he began working as a stuntman in cinema. His father, Avi Lerner, is the founder of the film companies Nu Image and Millennium Films, producing dozens of films. Yariv Lerner divides his time between California and Bulgaria.
https://nuboyana.com/
Petar Vanev
heads the Dve Mogili police district in the region of Ruse, in northeastern Bulgaria. He is a graduate of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Sofia, with many years of experience in Sofia and Ruse, mainly in the field of criminal investigations. He studied effective management methods and strategic planning in the field of security at the Police Academy in Paris, the National Military University, and the Military Academy in Sofia. He is constantly looking for ways to increase the efficiency of law enforcement. When he is not working, Petar enjoys cooking and photography and is a devoted husband and father.
Nedislav Veselinov
is the manager and chief engineer for the Andromeda Planetarium in Sofia and the author of articles in prestigious science journals. He has degrees in physics from Sofia University and aircraft engineering from the Moscow Aviation Institute. In 2020, together with a group of fellow engineers, he founded Photonica, an engineering design company. In addition to the planetarium, the Photonica team also built two aviation simulators and is working on numerous projects related to aviation. The company uses high-tech materials such as carbon and Kevlar in its work, with Photonica-made parts currently in use by drones patrolling Bulgaria’s southern border. The project for the creation of the Sofia Planetarium was supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation through its Science with a Future RFP.
https://photonics.bg/
Raycho Raychev
is the founder and CEO of EnduroSat, a leading producer of nanosatellites and space technologies. The company is one of the global leaders in nanosatellite production and is a proud employer of 80-plus engineers, programmers, and scientists. EnduroSat’s customers include leading space agencies, universities, and companies around the world. Raycho is also the founder of the Space Challenges Program & Spaceport Platform, a free educational platform dedicated to space science and research. This is the only initiative for space education in Bulgaria and the largest such initiative in Europe. Raycho has been featured in the MIT Tech Review Innovators under 35, Forbes 30 under 30, and New Europe 100, a joint ranking by Google and the Financial Times. He is also the recipient of a Gifted Citizen Award.
https://endurosat.com
Kevin O’Connell
is a recognized expert on space commerce, the global space economy, international intelligence, and US national security matters. In his impressive four-decade career, he has worked with and advised the US government, research organizations, and private space businesses. Kevin is also a successful entrepreneur, business leader, and an inspiring space visionary. He served as the Director of the Office of Space Commerce at the US Department of Commerce. Prior to that assignment, Kevin held several positions within the US national security and research communities, including on the National Security Council and in the Office of the Vice President.
https://spaceeconomyrising.com/about
Pavela Kostova
has been a journalist in the Bulgarian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty since 2023. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from New Bulgarian University. In 2022, she was a fellow in the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s Media E:volution journalism program, where she gained experience in the field of journalism with two internships, one at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and another at bTV.
https://www.svobodnaevropa.bg/
Melanie Kirkpatrick
is a writer-journalist based in Connecticut and New York City and a senior fellow of the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. She is the author of Lady Editor: Sarah Josepha Hale and the Making of the Modern American Woman (2021), Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience (2016), and Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia’s Underground Railroad (2012). She worked for The Wall Street Journal from 1980 until 2009. In 2001, Ms. Kirkpatrick received the Mary Morgan Hewett Award for Women in Journalism. The annual award recognizes a female journalist who has demonstrated commitment, hard work, and expanding influence throughout her career.
https://us4bg.org/about-abf/our-team/
Lyubomir Lozanov
was elected Director to the Board of the America for Bulgaria Foundation in March 2015. For the last 19 years, Mr. Lozanov has been the CEO of Ameta Holding. Prior to that, from October 1999 until May 2001, he held the positions of investment analyst and investment officer at the Bulgarian-American Enterprise Fund. Mr. Lozanov graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and is currently a member of the university’s board of trustees. He is a graduate of the Mathematics and Natural Sciences High School in Vratza.
https://us4bg.org/about-abf/our-team/
Christo Grozev
is a Bulgarian investigative journalist, media expert, and media investor. He is a lead investigator and executive director at Bellingcat, an investigative journalism group. He is a key member of the cast of the Oscar-winning documentary Navalny. Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Grozev has used open-source digital tools to document Russia’s war crimes and other atrocities committed during the war. For his journalistic work, he has won a number of international recognitions and awards. He is a graduate of the American University in Bulgaria.
https://www.bellingcat.com/