On 9 and 10 May 2026, the Aula Hall of St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo hosted the Bulgarian national rounds of the 19th International “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School Students and the 25th International “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for University Students. The events were organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Veliko Tarnovo with the support of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Bulgaria.
H.E. Ms. Dai Qingli, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria, and Assoc. Prof. Anna Ivanova, PhD, Vice-Rector of the University of Veliko Tarnovo, officially opened the first day of the competition. On the second day, the participants and guests were welcomed by Prof. Nikolay Kanev, PhD, Vice-Rector of the University of Veliko Tarnovo; Assoc. Prof. Polina Tsoncheva, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages at the University of Veliko Tarnovo; and Sn. Lect. Aleksandar Uzunov, PhD, Member of the 52nd National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The event was also attended by Mr. Yang Tian, Head of the Education Department at the Embassy of the PRC in Bulgaria; Prof. Plamen Legkostup, DSc, Rector of the University of Veliko Tarnovo (2007–2015) and Honorary Chairman of the Board of the Confucius Institute at the university; Prof. Zhao Jing, PhD, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Miskolc, Hungary; Ms. Ge Lina, Director of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Sofia; Mr. Wang Pujian, Chairman of the Bulgarian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Aksiniya Koleva and Prof. Chen Ying, Directors of the Confucius Institute in Sofia; Assoc. Prof. Iskra Mandova, PhD, and Prof. Dong Yuanxing, Directors of the Confucius Institute at the University of Veliko Tarnovo; Ms. Olga Yalamova, Principal of “Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi” Private Secondary School, Sofia; Ms. Ralitsa Kirilova, Principal of the 18th Secondary School “William Gladstone”, Sofia; Ms. Maria Ivanova-Todorova, Principal of “Vasil Levski” Secondary School, Ruse, and others.
More than 50 participants from across the country took part in this year’s editions of the competition, demonstrating not only their language proficiency but also their deep interest in Chinese culture.
The competition attracted strong interest from students from Sofia, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Sliven, and Burgas. In the highly contested secondary school category, first place was won by Nikol Yalamova, a student at “Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi” Private Secondary School in Sofia. Second place was shared by Maria Aleksandrova from the same school and Steliana Noneva, a student at “Maksim Gorky” Secondary School in Stara Zagora. Third place was awarded to Kaloyan Dimitrov and Asya Tatova from the 18th Secondary School “William Gladstone”, as well as Ivanina Koleva from “Vasil Levski” Secondary School in Ruse. Two students received special awards: Ivanina Koleva for Best Talent and Kaloyan Dimitrov for Oratory Skills. All participants received certificates for outstanding performance in the competition.
Among the university students were representatives of leading Bulgarian universities, including the University of Veliko Tarnovo, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, “Angel Kanchev” University of Ruse, and South-West University “Neofit Rilski”. Kalina Gerginova, a student from Sofia University, won first place. The jury awarded second prize to Kalina Momchilova, also from Sofia University, while third place was shared by Nuray Salim from the University of Ruse and Nikol Dimitrova from Sofia University, who also received a special award for oratory excellence. Melisa Emin from the University of Ruse received the award for Best Talent.
Participants in both age categories went through several stages of the competition, including a written test assessing their knowledge of the Chinese language and culture, oral presentations on topics of their choice, and stage performances showcasing their talents related to Chinese culture and traditions.
For yet another year, the “Chinese Bridge” competition reaffirmed its role as one of the most significant initiatives promoting the Chinese language and culture in Bulgaria, while also creating opportunities for exchange, personal development, and international networking for young people.
The organizers congratulate the winners and express their gratitude to all participants, teachers, parents, and partners who contributed to the successful realization of the event.