Ivet Atanasova, an 11th-grader at the High School of Mathematics in Silistra, is the winner of the Third National Student Competition “My Ancestral Roots from Macedonia and Eastern Thrace”. Her family originates from the town of Kočani in Vardar Macedonia. In the 5th-7th-grade age group, the first prize went to Maria-Magdalena Boneva from Yambol. Her roots trace back to the village of Sinanköy in the region of Edirne, BGNES reports.

Vice President Iliana Iotova presented the awards to all winners at a ceremony held in the Sofia University Rectorate.

Professor Mira Markova, Dean of the Faculty of History, said that all contestants were winners, as she had read many mature works from the students. “Respect to your teachers, who inspired you to explore history, your family roots, your language and your ancestral memory. Thank you for following in the footsteps of your ancestors”, said the scholar.

Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photo: BGNES