Bulgaria has once again leaned over an abyss, trying to see the traces of another unique Bulgarian model. But instead of constantly looking for ourselves, this time we can look at that pure, idealized image of Bulgaria alive in the imagination of our children. And it doesn't matter how many kilometers you are from the place where you would like to live - happiness is not a geographical concept, but a feeling, an idea, acceptance and... a dream come true.

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Bulgaria in words, colors and music - this is how the Bulgarian children abroad presented it in the three creative competitions of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad - the literary contest "Stefan Gechev", the drawing contest "Bulgaria in my dreams" and the singing contest "Lyubka Rondova". The winners received their diplomas from Vice President Iliana Iotova and felt the excitement of meeting their peers from different countries.‎

"The motto of this contest is very nice - we, the Bulgarians of the world, free, united and dignified,” said Iliana Iotova at the ceremony in the National Children's Palace. “In these three words, it is as if all our folk psychology, desire and dream come together - to remember our rich and long history and to be free in spirit, because only then will we be true Bulgarians. It doesn't matter where fate has assigned us to live, but there, beyond the border, is the spiritual empire of Bulgaria. Wherever there are Bulgarians, there will be a Bulgarian spirit and a Bulgarian memory of family and homeland."‎

Tenth-grader Adelina Hristova from the community of Bessarabian Bulgarians in Ukraine is experiencing the thrill of getting to know her ancestral homeland for the first time. She studies Bulgarian language and literature, likes Bulgaria very much and dreams of studying information technologies at a Bulgarian university.‎

"I am very pleased that God gave me the opportunity to meet such good people," says the girl, whose poem "Love for Bulgaria" won the first prize for her age group in the Poetry section. “I am from Bolgrad, Bessarabia. I feel very painful for my mother Ukraine. Every moment for us could be our last. We don't know what awaits us, that's why we just live - as much as life gives us."‎

"For the time being, we are functioning, as long as they don't shoot," Nataliya Peycheva, director of the Bulgarian school, which Adelina visits every week, intervenes in the conversation. The teacher came to the ceremony to collect the prizes of her students who won many prizes. ‎

"We are returning to Ukraine again because we love it," she adds. “It's very scary for us now. Russia is destroying us. I can say a lot of bad and nothing good about Putin. He cannot cause destruction in the 21^st century - there must be peace, for children to grow, learn, develop, and he wants to destroy the whole world and, in particular, us, the Ukrainians. We are Bulgarians, but we live in Ukraine. We speak Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and English - different languages."

Twelve-year-old Anne-Michel Heron is lucky enough to be born in a much happier country, but she nevertheless chooses "World Peace" as the subject of her essay. "I am very sad about the situation in Ukraine. It's terrible, and I just wish people the best of luck and the best for them," she says. The girl and her nine-year-old brother Dave-Steven were born in Paris in the family of a Bulgarian mother and a Frenchman, they speak their mother tongue perfectly and spend every summer with their grandparents in Vratsa. Both of them participate in more than one category in the competition.‎

"I've been playing the piano since I was five years old and I haven't stopped since then," says Anne-Michel. “I study at the French Conservatoire in Paris. I have participated in many international competitions in different countries. I have played in Carnegie Hall in New York, in Salzburg, in many halls in Greece. I want to become a pianist."‎

Dave-Steven dreams of working with computers one day. Meanwhile, he writes and paints. It was his painting - with a white dove in the center - that attracted attention from the stage. "My drawing is for all the children in the world, and the message is to be friends," he explains. And he hurries to stand among the girls and boys for the group photo.‎

• State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad gives awards to participants in three children's competitions

• Talented Bulgarian children from all over the world receive awards in contests organized by State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad