Past Winners – Human of the Year Awards

Grand Prize

Here are the past winners of the major prize, Human of the Year:

2008 – Judges Albena Boneva, Kostadinka Arsova, and Mimi Furnadzhieva, who issued a landmark Supreme Court ruling protecting the rights of people with disabilities
2009 – Teodora Zaharieva and the Center for the Protection of Patients’ Rights, who successfully sued the state for failing to provide life-saving medication, inspiring others to defend their right to healthcare
- Runner-up – Donka Panayatova, for leading a Roma rights organization in Vidin and promoting desegregation of schools;
- Runner-up – the Facebook group “Borderless Voting”, for protecting Bulgarians’ voting rights abroad in EU elections
2010 – Daniela Dokovska, attorney-at-law, for defending justice and the rule of law, opposing restrictive legislation, and advocating for children with disabilities in institutions
- Runner-up – Valeria Ilareva, attorney-at-law, for protecting refugees’ and migrants’ rights;
- Runner-up – “Electronic Border”, an organization advocating for digital rights and privacy protections
2011 – the Union of Judges in Bulgaria, who fought for judicial independence and integrity against political interference and corruption in the judiciary
- Runner-up – Antoaneta Tsoneva, for her work to ensure free and fair elections;
- Runner-up – Petya Vladimirova, for her brilliant, objective reporting on human rights issues
2012 – the protesters at Orlov Most (Eagle’s Bridge), who took part in mass civic protests against amendments to the Forest Act favoring private ski resort interests over public natural heritage
- Runner-up – the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria, for their dedication to free speech, independent media, and citizens’ right to information;
- Runner-up – Toma Belev, a leader in the Green movement, for his conservationism
2013 – Refugees and the volunteer group “Friends of the Refugees”, who provided emergency support and dignity to refugees amid rising hostility and state unpreparedness
- Runner-up – Judge Kalin Kalpakchiev, for fighting against the status quo to achieve a more transparent judicial system;
- Runner-up – Ivo Bozhkov, a journalist and blogger who broadcast footage from under-reported anti-government protests where he was assaulted by police
2014 – The civilians who stepped in as volunteers and donors to provide life-saving aid and recovery support following devastating floods in Central and Eastern Bulgaria
- Runner-up – Samaritans Association, for their tireless support of disadvantaged children and adults;
- Runner-up – the Initiative for Health Foundation, for their harm-reduction initiatives to help people who use drugs
2015 – Daniela Mihailova, attorney-at-law, for defending Roma families from illegal evictions and publicly advocating against racism
- Runner-up – Victor Lilov, the first openly gay man to run for office in the country, who also advocated for involving minority groups in the political process;
- Runner-up – volunteers from the Refugee Project, for their efforts to integrate refugees in Bulgarian society with language classes and other activities
2016 – Nadezhda Tsekulova, for exposing corruption in the Children’s Healthcare Fund and organizing protests to protect children’s right to medical care
- Runner-up – Judge Kalin Kalpakchiev, a staunch advocate for judicial reform in opposition to political pressure on the Supreme Judicial Council;
- Runner-up – Meral Falik, for openly criticizing Kardzhali Municipality for deplorable conditions in its animal shelter, for which she received death threats
2017 – Father Paolo Cortesi, who sheltered a Syrian refugee family despite threats and worked to preserve the memory of victims of communism in Bulgaria
- Runner-up – Zlatina Staykova and Radoslava Stancheva, for their pedagogical support of hospitalized children in Plovdiv;
- Runner-up – Kristina Kostova, an artist who designed the first Cryillic font for people with dyslexia
2018 – Parents of children with disabilities who led “The System Is Killing Us” protests, leading to legislative changes improving support for people with disabilities
- Runner-up – the Bulgarian Fund for Women, for its systematic efforts to address gendered stereotypes and violence against women
2019 – Journalists Genka Shikerova, Polina Paunova, and Silvia Velikova for defending freedom of the press and the right to report the truth amidst growing threats to media independence in Bulgaria
- Runner-up – the National Network for Children and its director, Georgi Gobdanov, for the enormous efforts to challenge a misinformation campaign against child protection policy led by ultra-religious and far-right extremists;
- Runner-up – Julia Georgieva and the Center for Humane Policy, for a massive fundraising campaign to keep the day center for drug users “Pink House” open
2020 – Medical staff and volunteers, who risked their own health to care for COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, showing courage and sacrifice under extreme conditions
- Runner-up – the national civic initiative “For a Children’s Hospital”, which led a campaign to build a modern facility with transparent construction plans
- Runner-up – Rusi Milev, Dimitar Dimitrov, Vasil Vasilev, and Maria Koleva, who stood up against homophobia and violence in Plovdiv and Burgas after attacks on people who appeared to be non-heterosexual or trans
2021 – Educational mediators who helped thousands of children, especially from marginalized communities, stay in school during the pandemic’s shift to remote learning
- Runner-up – Gloria Filipova, Manuela Popova, and Rainbow Hub, for their activism following a homophobic attack on the LGBTI community center, and Deystvie, an LGBTI rights organization, for their legal advocacy in support of same-sex families, including filing a suit at the EU Court of Justice
- Runner-up – the foundation “Our Premature Babies”, for supporting the most vulnerable children and launching a pilot research program on their care
2022 – Volunteers, activists, and organizations helping the Ukrainian people by providing humanitarian aid and support to refugees fleeing the war, mobilizing a wide network of solidarity
- Runner-up – “Mission: Wings” Foundation and “Voice in Bulgaria” Legal Aid Center, for their systematic efforts to improve the rights of asylum seekers
2023 – Protesters in support of Debora Mihaylova and the Wake Up Foundation who, in response to 18-year-old Debora’s brutal experience of gender-based violence, mobilized huge protests leading to changes in the Protection from Domestic Violence Act
2024 – Judge Vladislava Tsarigradska, for her active role in exposing irregularities thwarting judicial independence and her longtime dedication to upholding the rule of law
- Runner-up – the educators who signed an open letter opposing amendments to the Preschool and School Education Act aimed to backtrack on anti-discrimination policy
- Runner-up – Diana Dimova and Mission: Wings, for humanitarian work with refugees and investigations of migrant deaths after their bodies were found
2025 – Boyan Yurukov, for his digital activism and dedication to open data access and transparency through publishing an interactive map of government-owned properties planned for sale
- Runner-up – All Together in Dignity Fourth World and the volunteers in Zaharna Fabrika following the forced demolitions of homes in a Roma neighborhood, for their tireless support of the families made homeless when their homes were destroyed days before Easter

Special Awards

Each year, apart from the Human of the Year and Runner-Up awards, the jury also selects categories where other nominees who have made a strong impression can be distinguished:

Special Awards for Bravery & Courage

2009 – Kalina Pavlova, for her work to expose illicit business ties to government
2015 – Magdalina Genova, for promoting human rights and discuss topics that are less frequently covered, such as hate speech and LBGTI rights, via social media
2015 – Father Raphael-Rosen Stefanov, for opposing the Holy Synod’s position against more refugees being admitted and encouraging inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue
2016 – Lilia Makaveeva, for her steadfast efforts to better integrate Roma citizens through the ROMACT Programme in 12 municipalities
2017 – Pol Naidenov, for years of LGBTI activism and becoming the first intersex person to successfully change their assigned sex on identity documents
2018 – National Civic Initiative “7000”, for its advocacy for the dignity and legal rights of people with intellectual disabilities and mental health conditions
2018 – Andriyan Hristov, a school principal in Harmanli, for successfully integrating refugee children into a Bulgarian public school
2019 – Georgi Georgiev and the civic movement “BOETS”, for filing complaints against corrupt senior officials and organizing protests against the Prosecutor General
2019 – Roma activists and organizations, for rejecting and protesting a racist proposal for integration, mobilizing over 1,000 people from Roma neighborhoods to send letters
2020 – Julia Georgieva from the Center for Humane Policies, for running the only support center for people with substance use issues entirely with donated funds
2020 – Prof. Asena Serbezova, Chair of the Bulgarian Union of Pharmacists, for informing the public about possible medication shortages in the face of censure
2021 – Hristo Nikolov, a Roma activist, for his anti-discrimination work and particularly complaints against a professor’s racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic speech
2021 – Natasha Dobreva, attorney-at-law, for her years of advocacy for LGBTI people and people with substance use issues
2022 – Sarah Perrine, for her years of dedicated and active work towards equal rights and access for Roma communities in Bulgaria
2022 – the initiative “You Choose”, for collecting parallel vote counting results and encouraging volunteer observers to look out for election fraud in at-risk areas
2023 – Darina Koylova and Lilia Babulkova, a married couple who brought a case against the government for failing to recognize their marriage, registered in the UK
2024 – Kalin Angelov, attorney-at-law, for supporting patients’ access to medicinal marijuana and volunteering to protect the rights of those wrongfully prosecuted for cannabis use
2025 – the protesters supporting Varna’s mayor Blagomir Kotsev, for defending his right to a fair trial in the face of months-long politicized pre-trial detention
2025 – Yana Rupeva and Project Northwest Foundation, for their work supporting the elderly in one of the poorest regions in the European Union

Special Awards for Activists

2010 – Petar Kichashki, a law student who successfully advocated for disability accommodations in public space
2011 – Dimitar Dimitrov, a prominent LGBTI rights activist, for his civic initiative in solidarity with Sofia’s Muslim community after an attack on the Central Mosque
2012 – Radoslav Stoyanov, for his steadfast and successful legal efforts to protect vulnerable groups, including the LGBTI community, and advocacy against hate speech
2013 – Boryana Borlakova, for her contributions to the fight for cancer patients’ rights to life-saving treatment in the face bureaucratic delays
2014 – Ruslan Trad, for promoting intercultural dialogue and covering migrants’ rights issues during the refugee crisis
2015 – a group of environmental organizations for the protection of Karadere on the Black Sea coast, preventing overdevelopment and promoting nature conservation
2016 – Stana Iliev, for her active role in Sofia Pride, feminist causes, and an initiative to promote welcoming spaces for marginalized groups within the local business community
2017 – “Campaigns and Activism for Animals in Industry”, for the organization’s work towards ethical treatment of animals in factory farming, particularly European mink
2018 – Deystvie, Bilitis, and GLAS, for creating Rainbow Hub, the country’s first LGBTI community center, as well as advocating for the legal recognition of same-sex marriage
2019 – “Pernik, Breathe”, a volunteer collective advocating for citizens’ access to clean air and fighting against pollution in the city
2020 – Denitsa Zarichinova from “For the Earth”, for standing up against the effects of coal-fired power, increasing public awareness about a clean and healthy environment
2021 – Borislav Borisov, for his initiative in protest of overdevelopment on the Black Sea coast in Sinemorets
2022 – Vanya Dobreva and Antoaneta Ivanova, for their volunteer work with adults and children fleeing the war in Ukraine who suffer from severe disabilities
2024 – Maya Doneva, for her “Be disappointing” campaign after facing discrimination by her employer and advocating for equal pay among men and women in the workplace
2025 – Daniela Toneva of the For Razmetanitsa Association, for her fight against the pollution from Bobov Dol Power Plant

Special Awards for Journalists

2012 – Spas Spasov, for his publications denouncing racism and hate speech in media
2013 – Zornitsa Stoilova, for advocating for the rights of vulnerable groups and encouraging public discourse about human rights
2014 – Rosen Tsvetkov, for his investigative reporting on corruption by guards in refugee and migrant reception centers near the border with Turkey
2015 – Lora Fileva, for her reporting on migrants’ rights issues in neighboring Macedonia and Serbia, as well as judicial reform and anti-corruption efforts
2016 – Teodor Spasov, for his bold coverage of issues affecting marginalized groups in Bulgaria, confronting hate speech against women, LGBTI people and Roma
2017 – the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria, for protecting free speech and fighting against fake news and undue pressure on journalists
2018 – Dimitar Stoyanov, for defending freedom of expression and exposing illegal activities by law enforcement agencies
2020 – Maria Tsantsarova, for her professional and objective reporting on protests against the ruling party GERB and Prosecutor General
2021 – Alexander Nikolov and Dimitar Panayotov, for their documentary about organ donation, “A Person’s Final Gift”
2022 – Georgi Totev and Georgi Kozhuharov, for their series of publications titled “Notes from Ukraine”
2023 – Maria Cheresheva, for her coverage of illegal acts carried out by border authorities before returning migrants to Turkey, which led to verbal attacks against her
2024 – Velina Popova, for her contributions exposing voting fraud in Galabovo Municipality and overall journalistic work supporting human rights and the rule of law
2025 – Vidka Atanasova, for exposing improprieties and financial abuse within the Bulgarian Teachers’ Union

Special Awards for Inspiration

2013 – “The Early Risers” student group and other protesters at the Council of Ministers, for their civic spirit and steadfastness
2014 – Boyana Petkova, for advocacy in hospital settings regarding parents’ right to bury their stillborn or miscarried children
2016 – the Zebra Midwives, for centering women in healthcare, changing attitudes towards the father’s role in childbirth, and reforming obstetric medicine in Bulgaria
2017 – Victoria and Zahari Nedyalkovi, for their dedication to instilling a love of nature in children and adults with motor difficulties and helping them to scale mountain peaks
2018 – Loveguide, an online portal for sexual education that pushes past taboos and encourages young people to get informed and communicate with their partners
2019 – Manuela Popova, for her project combatting stereotypes and stigmas against people with disabilities and health problems or coming from different backgrounds
2020 – Yana Rupeva, founder of “Project Northwestern”, which provides services and support for elderly adults in the poorest region of the European Union
2022 – Lyubomila Krivoshieva and the Wild Animals Foundation, for a campaign to create a veterinary clinic for wild animals
2023 – Mira Stefanova, a survivor of domestic violence who spoke up and advocated for other victims, as well as helping dozens of children living in poverty
2024 – Dimitrinka Georgieva, for her efforts to desegregate schools in Varna Municipality and ensure access to quality education for Roma children there
2025 – Katerina Ivanova and the Endometriosis and Reproductive Health Foundation, for their campaign about a painful chronic illness affecting at least 1 in 9 women

Special Awards for Advocacy

2017 – the Bulgarian Fund for Women, for the organization’s tireless work to fight misogyny and domestic violence and to promote gender equality in all spheres of life
2018 – Wild Animals and Four Paws, two animal rights organizations, for rescuing two lion cubs and providing care for other animals living in poor conditions in zoos
2019 – Kalin Angelov, attorney-at-law, for his prisoners’ rights advocacy and active work against police brutality and abuse of power
2020 – Ivan Burgov from “Vzaimno”, the voice of deaf people in Bulgaria, who played a key role in passing the Bulgarian Sign Language Act
2021 – Olga Mineva, founder of EMPROVE, for supporting women and children affected by domestic violence
2022 – the informal civic initiative “Breathe, Dimitrovgrad”, for organizing protests and advocacy efforts against pollution from a local power plant
2023 – Bridges, for the organization’s contributions towards a better life for people with special needs, as well as securing financial reimbursement for patients with malnutrition
2024 – Toma Belev, for investigating water resource management in the first-ever collection and summary of data on access to clean drinking water in Bulgaria
2025 – the For Nadezhda Foundation, from a Roma neighborhood in Sliven, for helping uncover child rights violations at a socio-pedagogical boarding school

Special Awards for Bringing Awareness

2019 – “Support Pediatrics”, a collective of young medical professionals challenging the status quo and protesting the lack of adequate care for pediatric patients
2025 – Dr. Kalina Bozhilova, Vasilena Dimitrova and the national healthcare protest “Future for Bulgaria”, for standing up against status quo problems in healthcare like unequal access

Special Awards for Influencers

2024 – Mimi Shishkova, for using her social media platform to popularize democratic values and models of good governance
2025 – Boryana Yovcheva, for her advocacy popularizing human rights issues on Instagram and TikTok

Audience Choice

2009 – Boryana Kirilova and Krasimira Velichkova, for their crowdfunding campaign to give children life-saving medical care
2010 – journalist Ivo Indzhiev, for his journalistic integrity and high professionalism
2011 – Dr. Mila Bobadova, a veterinarian, for leading a successful campaign for the criminalization of cruelty to animals
2013 – Alberta Alkalay, for her efforts to recognize Bulgarian citizens’ protection of 50,000 Jews during WWII; and Ivo Bozhkov, runner-up Human of the Year recipient
2014 – Lyubomila Krivoshieva, founder of the Wild Animals Foundation, for rescuing and caring for injured or sick wild animals, as well as increasing public awareness
2015 – Svilen Cheshmedzhiev, for his work with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds to protect rare species and promote education about conservation

Special Awards for Overall Contribution

2009 – Kakpa Panayatova of the Centre for Independent Living, for her disability rights activism
2011 – the Access to Information Programme, for encouraging government transparency and providing legal assistance in access to information cases
2012 – Rosen Bosev, for his publications encouraging discussion of and respect for rule-of-law, human rights, and justice
2014 – the Roma Matrix Project, for combatting discrimination against Roma and facilitating access to education and healthcare
2016 – Boyan Petrov and Andrei Kovachev, for their longtime conservation efforts in the Kresna Gorge and in opposition to negative effects of highway construction in the area
2017 – Kristian Takov (posthumous), a lecturer who inspired thousands of students to fight for justice and, in spite of a difficult illness, continued to speak out against corruption and a variety of societal problems

An Army of One

2016 – Milena Ilieva-Momchilova, for her tireless and successful battle against bureaucratic indifference in support of a single unhoused person
2020 – Silvia Stoycheva, who rescues stray or abandoned animals and re-homes them in Bulgaria or abroad, even in the face of challenging circumstances due to the pandemic
2021 – Dr. Adil Kadam (posthumous), for her advocacy in support of pediatric medicine and children’s right to access quality healthcare
2022 – Tanya Hristova, for her initiative to collect and distribute gift boxes for children living in poverty in a small village near Sofia, along with her other charity work
2023 – Prof. Petar Shurulinkov (posthumous), for his work to establish protected natural areas, including the periphery of Durankulak Lake, and his forestry conservation efforts
2024 – Dimitar Ploshtakov, whose methodical research proved that air quality data is purposely tampered with, obscuring the fact that it causes 10,000 deaths per year

Light in the Tunnel

2021 – Kabinet.bg, an online platform for psychotherapeutic and emotional support available in several formats to vulnerable adults and adolescents
2022 – “Nomad Classroom”, an initiative to teach children about equality, tolerance, and non-discrimination

Knights of Truth

2023 – Hristo Grozev, who exposed Russian state’s hunting down and assassination of political opponents and, as a result, had to flee Bulgaria due to threats from Putin’s regime
2024 – the Anticorruption Fund, for taking part in the “Eight Dwarves” investigation, shedding light on large-scale corruption, and advocating for the rule of law

Special Awards for Remembrance

2019 – “Belene Island” Foundation, for commemorating the socialist-era labor camp and creating a memorial there for visitors to experience what it was like in the 1950s

Lionheart Award

2021 – Kakpa Panayotova (posthumous), founder of the Center for Independent Living, who fought for the rights of people with disabilities until her dying breath