IKEA Bulgaria Awards Finalists of the Fourth National Children's Drawing Competition

At a ceremony held on February 2, 2025, at the Muzeiko Children's Science Center, IKEA Bulgaria awarded the finalists of the fourth edition of the National Children's Drawing Competition. The event was attended by a jury, guests, parents, and guardians of the magical forest.

A total of 15 children received special prizes for their curious and interesting creations, inspired by the theme "Guardians of the Magic Forest: Let's Save the Home of Wild Animals."

The jury, consisting of Bogdana Trifonova, Alexandra Dimitrova, Christina de Bruin (UNICEF representative in Bulgaria), Zdravka Varbanova, and Yana Yakimova (manager of the IKEA Sofia store), selected the big winner – Gabriela Yoncheva, 9 years old from Burgas, with her fairytale defender of the magical forest, "Leia." "Leia" was brought to life as a plush toy and is now in the hands of its creator.

For the fourth year, IKEA Bulgaria follows the process of the IKEA International Fairytale Hero Competition, which aims to stimulate creativity and show that dreams can become reality.

"Every child has the fundamental right to play. Play is not only a source of joy and creativity but also a vital part of a child's development and well-being. Let us ensure that every child, whatever their circumstances, has the opportunity to experience the freedom and happiness that play brings. As we nurture our children's right to play, we must also help them to realise the importance of protecting the environment. By protecting our natural world, we ensure a brighter and more sustainable future for our children and for the incredible wildlife that shares our planet", said Christina de Bruin, UNICEF representative in  Bulgaria

The competition, traditionally held in partnership with UNICEF Bulgaria, challenged children up to 12 years of age to draw their interpretation of a forest guardian, promoting the idea of a clean, diverse, and magical forest. All drawings, along with short descriptions, were displayed on https://letsplay.bg/, where the audience and the jury voted for their favorites," said Christina de Bruin, UNICEF representative for Bulgaria.

Awardees:

• Ognyan Velinov, 8 years old from Kyustendil
• Yasen Stefanov, 10 years old from Varna
• Dimitar Todorov, 5 years old from Sofia
• Tsvetelina Lozeva, 7 years old from Sofia
• Leda Hristova, 7 years old from Sofia
• Kalina Panayotova, 10 years old from Sofia
• Momchil Velinov, 10 years old from Kyustendil
• Georgi Piskov, 8 years old from Pazardzhik
• Eva Turksoy, 5 years old from Pazardzhik
• Daria Bandrova, 9 years old from Blagoevgrad
• Gabriela Yoncheva, 9 years old from Burgas
• Sofia Kehlibarova, 9 years old from Sofia
• Presiyan Yalamov, 5 years old from Pleven
• Maya Ivanova, 6 years old from Sofia
• Iva Hristova, 7 years old from Sofia