Nellie and Robert Gipson 

The donor program 100 Nellie and Robert Gipson’s Scholarships for undergraduates with high academic achevements, whose families have financial difficulties, sttudying in Bulgarian universities, is a broad, unique and significant civil society innitiative aiming at both – the social spere and the process of young generation potential building through education.

The program was initiated by Ms. Nellie Lozanova, who has been supported by the Foundation many years ago. She is now married to Mr. Robert Gipson, a businessman and person with special attitude towards young people and their education. Both Princeton University and M.I.T. graduate, during his studies Mr. Gipson, has been supported by private donors and he never forgot tehir act of generosity and its significance to his life.

The Gipsons came to the Foundation after the recommendation of H.E. Mr. James Perdew, then Ambassador of USA to Bulgaria. The Cyril and Methodius Foundation is in the basis of the design of this program.

Despite of the economic crisis, the Gipsons continue their financial support to the program. The total sum they have rendered comes close to 1.4 million BGN. The scholarship paid to a student during the current academic year is 2,000 BGN and is awarded for the whole course of bachelor studies (4 years). Students studying law and medicine receive their scholarship support 5 and 6 years respectively.

This donation lines up the Gipsons among our major donors, financing significant by scale and importance programs of the Foundation.

Hugo Voeten

Mr. HUGO VOETEN is a collector of contemporary art since 1970. Now he has the largest private collection abroad of Bulgarian art.  He started his collection with artists from the Flemish school such as – PERMEKE, DE SAEDELEER, ENSOR, TIJTGAT, SPILLIAERT and others. Gradually his collection became an international one of great significance presenting authors such as: CHRISTO, VOLTI, RODIN, MAILLOL, GIACOMETTI, DALI, ANISH KAPOOR, WIM DELVOY, PANAMARENKO, ARNO BREKER and others. The collection includes many Bulgarian artists as well – painters and sculptures as SVETLIN RUSSEV, Emil Popov, Valentin Starchev, Pavel Koichev, VELICHKO MINEKOV, Krum Damyanov, Stanislav Pamukchiev, Milko Bozhkov, Svilen Blazhev and others.

For his work in promotion and support to Bulgarian art, Hugo Voeten is awarded by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria with the Order of Stara Planina I degree, with insignia of honour Golden laurel branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he is a Doctor Honoris Causa of the Art Academy – Sofia and Honorary Citizen of Sofia. Since 2009 Hugo Voeten is Honorary Consul of Bulgaria in Belgium, for the provinces of Antwerpen, Limburg, West-Vlanderen и Vlams-Brabant.

Hugo Voeten has been a sponsor of number cultural projects in Bulgaria – the National Art Gallery, the park with sculptures in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continuously supports the promotion of Bulgarian art in Belgium and at prestigious forums as the Biennale in Venice, Italy.

The Foundation acknowledges with special gratitude the financial support rendered by Mr. Hugo Voeten. Through the Cyril and Methodius Foundation he has donated over 250,000 Euro to projects in the fields of culture, as well as to projects in the social sphere. This lines up Mr. Voeten among our highly appreciated donors, who have contributed to significant by scale and aims new projects of the Foundation. Thanks to his generosity, among the projects financed one can find:

• The major repair of the third floor of the National Art Gallery;
• Financial support to the Schmirgela Art Studio;
• The Bulgarian pavilion set up at the 52^nd Biennale of Contemporary Art in Venice, Italy, where the works of three young Bulgarian artists were presented;
• Publication of catalogues for the exhibitions of Kiril Petrov, Nikolay Raynov and Elizar Alsheh, as well as to the number of projects of artists as Ivan Milev, Ivaylo Mirchev, Dessislava Mincheva, Ema Vakarelova, Andrey Daniel, ANTON DONCHEV, polina Taseva, Thomas Kochev, Ludmila Tukuser, Todor, Nanev, Pavlin Radevsky and other. An initiative of the Bulgarian National Roerich Society was also supported;
• The organization of the Pleven Biennale and the Draster-2007 Symposium in Sculpture and Metal;
• Support to the concert of Yonka Hristova and the choir of the National High School in Ancient Languages and Culture;
• Following the will of the donor in 2009 we transferred 25,000 Euro to the Sofia Municipality to renew and support a home for children with disabilities;
• The drawing of icons and paintings in the St. Cyril and St. Methodius Church in the village of Saramanite, District of Varna;
• A number of initiatives of the Pipkov National Music School were supported, as well as master classes in music lead by world famous instrumentalists as G. Lipkind, S. Russevm B. Vodenicharov, D. Takova and S. Klincharova.

The success of the above projects would not have been possible without the professional and creative assistance of Acad. SVETLIN RUSSEV.

Mr. Voeten is a member of the Bureau of the Cyril and Methodius Foundation.

Pavlina Dokovska 

The famous Bulgarian pianist Prof. PAVLINA DOKOVSKA is the Head of the Piano Department at one of the cream of the crop schools of music in the USA – Mannes School of Music in New York City. She is also Founder and Artistic Director of Mannes Festivals and Southwest Virginia Festival for the Arts.

We cordially thank Prof. Pavlina Dokovska, who is the producer and the engine of the concerts of scholarship holders of our Foundation titled ‘Musical Treasures from Bulgaria’ held annually in Carnegie Hall, Weil Recital Hall. Without her energy, professionalism and assistance, the organization of the above event would have been unthinkable.

Prof. Pavlina Dokovska established and provides the funds for the ‘Lidia Kuteva’ scholarship for young pianists, commemorating the work of the prominent Bulgarian piano teacher who has trained brilliant piano players. The scholarship is awarded to a young pianist studying at the “Lubomir Pipkov” National School of Music, Sofia.

For herself, Prof. Dokovska says: “I am very, very much Bulgarian. I left for the USA alone with a Fulbright scholarship. I had no friends. I have lived through years of hardship and now I consider it my moral duty to help young Bulgarian musicians, who come to the United States. I am busy organizing series of concerts, which I have titled ‘Musical Treasures from Bulgaria’. My goal is to acquaint the American audience with talented Bulgarian musicians”.

Prof. Pavlina Dokovska is a member of the Council of “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” International Foundation.

Anton Donchev 

Антон Дончев е съвременен български писател, който създава  исторически епоси. В тях на фона на историческите процеси и тенденции разкрива силата на българския национален дух.

Писател мъдрец и хуманист, който цени силата на детайлите, долавя вълненията на своя народ, обича красивото и се прекланя пред духовното. Първият му роман „Сказание за времето на Самуила“ е публикуван през 1961 г. Става световноизвестен с романа си „Време разделно“, който е преведен на 30 езика с над 2 млн. тираж. Романът е екранизиран през 1987 г. от режисьора Людмил Стайков.

Възнаграждението, получено от издаване на „Време разделно“, писателят дарява на Международна фондация „Св.Св. Кирил и Методий“. С тези средства Фондацията учредява две студентски стипендии „Време разделно“. По волята на дарителя, се изберат талантливи български младежи, започващи висшето си образование в областите „Българския език и литература“ и „История“. Те трябва да са от Смолян-област, от семейства с доказано ниски материални възможности и по време на следването си да са отлични студенти. Стипендиите се гарантират до завършване на бакалавърска степен, а стипендиантите се избират сред студентите-първокурсници от Софийския университет „Св. Климент Охридски“ – за специалността „История“ и от Пловдивския университет „Паисий Хилендарски“ – за специалността „Български език и литература“.