On November 18^th  in the Sofia Art Gallery a solemn ceremony was held where the annual awards of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists for 2015 - 2016  were presented.

The highest award - a statuette "Joseph Herbst" for overall contribution to the Bulgarian journalism received  professor Kolyo Kolev. With the honorary badge "Golden Feather" and plaques of the Union of the Bulgarian Journalists were awarded broadcast journalists from various media, who during the past year had a bright and decent performance.

The event was lead by Ivaylo Dimanov, a member of the Board of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists and chairman of the Committee on the professional and creative issues. The awards were given by Mrs. Snezhana Todorova, Chairman of the MB of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists. The evening passed with lots of excitement and positive emotions were shared. The bagpipe performances of the 21-year-old Nicolaya Nikova from the Rhodope village of Momchilovtsi, soloist of the famous ensemble "100 bagpipes" and the 13-year-old virtuoso of the violin- Petar Vladimirov contributed to the festive mood.

 Here are the rest of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists’ awards for 2015-2016:

Award for electronic media - radio

“ARTEFIR”broadcast - radio-programme, “Hristo Botev” BNR

Award for electronic media - TV

Svetoslav Ivanov, BTV – “Golden Feather” by UBJ

“Closer with Mira”, BNT - plaque of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Tsvetelina Atanasova - documentary film “Mission Antarctica”, BNT - special prize “Golden Feather”by UBJ

Dimitar Tsonev (posthumously) – “Golden Feather” by UBJ

Award for print

Angela Dimcheva – “Golden Feather” by UBJ

 “Musical Horizons” magazine - a special award plaque from the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Award for photojournalism

Peter Krastev – “Golden Feather” by UBJ

Borislav Nikolov (posthumously) - special prize “Golden Feather” by UBJ

Award for graphic design and cinematography

Georgi Angelov, Bulgarian National Television – “Golden Feather” by UBJ

Award for a foreign correspondent with active, genuine and meaningful coverage of events / processes in Bulgaria

Veselin Toshkov, correspondent of Associated Press - "Golden Feather" by UBJ

Book Award - documentary, journalism, research in the field of journalism and media

Vasil Popov – “MISSION WITHOUT END. By Cyril and Methodius on the road”- a plaque by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Thomas Fram - German journalist for his book dedicated to Bulgaria – “The two halves of a walnut”- special award plaque by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Nenad Zhivanovski - book “Language of Hate”- special award plaque by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Award for the correspondent of central media in the country

Penyu Penev - correspondent of BTA in Silistra - special prize “Golden Feather” by UBJ

Award for journalistic material in regional media that has caused wide public interest

Agnes Manova - the programme “One of Us”, Radio Blagoevgrad – “Golden Feather”by UBJ

Initiatives for children in the “New Dobrouja platform” newspaper, Dobrich - special award plaque by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Award for journalistic electronic site

Gergina Dvoretzka - "Golden Feather" by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists for brilliant journalism in the electronic site “Europe and the World”

The Electronic library of the "Media of the 21st century" magazine - a plaque by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists

Young Journalist Award under 35

Biljana Gavazova, BTV – “Golden Feather” by UBJ

Photo: Marie Kanalyan