Georgi Ivanov Markov was a Bulgarian dissident writer. He originally worked as a novelist, screenwriter and playwright in his native country, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, until his defection in 1969. After relocating to London, he worked as a broadcaster and journalist for the BBC World Service, the US-funded Radio Free Europe and West Germany's Deutsche Welle. Markov used such forums to conduct a campaign of sarcastic criticism against the incumbent Bulgarian-Soviet regime, which, according to his wife at the time he died, eventually became "vitriolic" and included "really smearing mud on the people in the inner circles."
Robert James Sawyer is a Canadian and American science fiction writer. He has had 24 novels published and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and numerous anthologies. He has won many writing awards, including the best-novel Nebula Award (1995), the best-novel Hugo Award (2003), the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2006), the Robert A. Heinlein Award (2017), and more Aurora Awards than anyone else in history.
Stefan Nikolov Stambolov was a Bulgarian politician, journalist, revolutionary, and poet who served as Prime Minister and regent. He is considered one of the most important and popular "Founders of Modern Bulgaria", and is sometimes referred to as "the Bulgarian Bismarck". In 1875 and 1876 he took part in the preparation for the Stara Zagora uprising, as well as the April Uprising. Stambolov was, after Stanko Todorov, Boyko Borisov and Todor Zhivkov, one of the country's longest-serving prime ministers. Criticised for his dictatorial methods, he was among the initiators of economic and cultural progress in Bulgaria during the time of the Balkan Wars.
Stara Zagora is a city in Bulgaria, and the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province and municipality. Its located in the Upper Thracian Plain, being near the cities of Kazanlak, Plovdiv, Sliven. Its population is around 158,563, making it the sixth largest city, just below Ruse and above Pleven.
Professional Football Club Beroe Stara Zagora, better known as just Beroe, is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Stara Zagora, that competes in the First League, the top division of the Bulgarian football league system. The club was founded in 1916 under the name Vereya. The club's colours are green and white.
Karlovo is a historically important town in central Bulgaria located in a fertile valley along the river Stryama at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains. It is administratively part of Plovdiv Province and has a population of about 19,373, the mayor being Dr. Emil Kabaivanov.
Joseph Victor O'Connor is an Irish novelist. His 2002 historical novel Star of the Sea was an international number one bestseller. Before success as an author, he was a journalist with the Sunday Tribune newspaper and Esquire magazine. He is a regular contributor to Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) and a member of the Irish artists' association Aosdána.
John Connolly is an Irish writer who is best known for his series of novels starring private detective Charlie Parker.
Geo Milev was a Bulgarian poet, translator and journalist. He is perhaps best known for his epic poem Septemvri, written during the Bulgarian September Uprising.
Jaafar Modarres-Sadeghi is an Iranian novelist and editor.
Dimitar Talev was a Bulgarian writer, journalist, political prisoner, and member of the Bulgarian National Assembly.
The Vick Foundation was established in February 2004 to award an annual prize for best Bulgarian novel. There is also a competition for the most popular short-listed book, based on votes cast by the general public. In 2008, the award will celebrate its 5th anniversary, and the foundation is on the path to becoming an institution in Bulgaria.
Stefan Kostadinov Valdobrev is a Bulgarian actor, film/theatre composer, singer-songwriter and filmmaker. He received classical training at the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia.
Wojciech Kuczok is a Polish novelist, poet, screenwriter, film critic and speleologist.
Hristo Nikolov Makedonski or Hristo Makedonski was a Bulgarian hajduk voivode and revolutionary from Macedonia.
The Bulgarian National Film Archive, also known as the Bulgarian Cinematheque, is an organization formed to acquire, restore, preserve, and store film and film-related archival artefacts of national and world culture. Since 1959, it is a member of the International Federation of Film Archives.
The Executioner is a post modern novel by Bulgarian novelist Stefan Kisyov, about the killing of Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov. It was published in 2003 and is the winner of the Vick Foundation's "Best Novel of 2004".
Georgi Tenev is a Bulgarian novelist, short story writer, playwright and film/TV screenwriter.
Emil Andreev is a Bulgarian author, playwright, and novelist.
Tenyo Tenev Minchev is a Bulgarian former footballer who played as a midfielder.
