2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 years
For the fourth consecutive year, we have been holding the event “Stara Zagora is looking for mathematical talents”.
In all four editions, the organizers are the” Minyu Balkanski” Foundation, the “Mathematics Without Borders” Foundation, and friends of mathematics – former Olympians.
The event was attended by students, parents, relatives and teachers. Among them were:
- Ivanka Sotirova – Ombudsman of the Municipality of Stara Zagora;
- Mihail Mihaylov – PhD student in artificial intelligence at the only university in the world dedicated entirely to artificial intelligence – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), Abu Dhabi, UAE;
- Ivan Kanev and Alexander Danchev – students of artificial intelligence at the same university, with a full scholarship of 57,000 US dollars per year;
- Teodora Noncheva – lecturer at the Thracian University;
- members of the youth team: Chavdar Chukov – student at Sofia University; Stiliyan Stefanov – student at the Technical University; Mihail Mihov – student at the Technical University of Delft, Netherlands; Stefan Zhelyazkov – graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
It started with our anthem – lyrics by Ivan Nenkov, music by Toni Dimitrova, arrangement by Ruslan Karagyozov, performed by “Sea Sands”.
A ten-minute film took us back to the ancient forum in Old Nessebar, as well as to the lapidarium of the Museum in Stara Zagora – with song, music and dance.
The stars of the tournament heard “Izlel e Delyo haidutin” – the song that flies in space, performed by Nikolina Savova.
The legends of the tournament heard the tale of the hero who married a fairy – in the brilliant performance of pipe by the soloist of the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Music Orchestra, Georgi Dobrev.
The perfect geometry, rhythm and energy of the Thracian dance were given to us by the Dimitrov boys.
The award ceremony began with music by the great Shostakovich.
In the “My Mathematical Story” section, the winners are:
- Andriy Shpikula — PGET “G. S. Rakovski”, Stara Zagora — 10th grade
- Evgeniya Dimitrova Ivanova — PGSAG “Lubor Bayer”, Stara Zagora — 8th grade
- Ivan Stefanov Tenev — PGET “G. S. Rakovski”, Stara Zagora — 10th grade
- Yordan Yordanov Svezhenov — 134 Secondary School “Dimcho Debelyanov”, Sofia — 4th grade
- Maya Petrova Petrova — Primary School “Kiril Hristov”, Stara Zagora — 3rd grade
- Nia Minkova Kazakova — PPMG “Geo Milev”, Stara Zagora — 8th grade
- Hristo Dimitrov Naydenov — Kiril Hristov Primary School, Stara Zagora — 2nd grade
In the “Favorite Mathematical Problem” section, the winners are:
· Yordan Yordanov Svezhenov — 134 Secondary School “Dimcho Debelyanov”, Sofia — 4th grade
- Nia Minkova Kazakova — PPMG “Geo Milev”, Stara Zagora — 8th grade
In the “Absolute Winners for 2025” section, the winners are:
· Georgi Lenkov Mitev — V Primary School “Mitio Stanev”, Stara Zagora — 4th grade
· Denislav Petkov Ganev — PPMG “Geo Milev”, Stara Zagora — 5th grade
· Elisabetta Casale — Stara Zagora — 10th grade
· Maya Petrova Petrova — Kiril Hristov Primary School, Stara Zagora — 3rd grade
· Momchil Ivanov Tsonev — National Primary School “D. Blagoev”, Stara Zagora — 3rd grade
· Nikol Maeva Dimitrova — PPMG “Geo Milev”, Stara Zagora — 7th grade
· Pavel Ladislav Herout — PPMG “Geo Milev”, Stara Zagora — 6th grade
· Preslav Ganev Ganev — PPMG “Geo Milev”, Stara Zagora — 8th grade
· Teodor Hristov Hristov — 2nd Primary School “P. R. Slaveykov”, Stara Zagora — 2nd Grade
The Mathematics Without Borders Foundation awards for 2025 were received by the doctoral student at the only university in the world dedicated entirely to artificial intelligence — Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), Abu Dhabi, UAE — Mihail Mihaylov (from Stara Zagora), as well as the students at the same university — Stara Zagora residents Ivan Kanev and Alexander Danchev.
The first competition for 2026 will be held on January 10 in Stara Zagora – the qualification for the World Mathematics Invitational (WMI). The WMI final is in early July in Japan.
