A new e-book, "In the Lead Role: Humanity", collects the best entries from the 13th contest run by Aleph, the Centre for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation, the association said. It is free to read on the Centre's website.

One story is about Dyanko Prvchev, who was mayor of Burgas during the Second World War. The young authors also write about politician Dimitar Peshev, Sofia Metropolitan Stefan I, Plovdiv Metropolitan Kiril, Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara and revolutionary Todor Angelov-Bozhanata.

It is the tenth collection in the Centre's series. It has 14 short stories, 9 films and one artistic performance by young authors nominated in the international literature and film contest "Whoever saves one human life saves the whole world". This year's contest drew 150 pupils from Bulgaria and abroad.

The works look back at the Holocaust, at suffering and persecution, but also at the courage, moral choices and humanity that saved lives. The organisers say the authors see history through modern eyes. They look for where the line falls between fear and courage, what personal responsibility means and which actions change fates. Their characters stand up to injustice and protect human dignity under pressure and in fear.

The collection also includes memories of the international festival "Friendship – Meaning and Salvation", held in Burgas in May 2026. Participants came from Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Israel and Austria.

Aleph calls those who enter the contest a community of "young guardians of memory". Nearly 2,500 young people from 16 countries now belong to it: Bulgaria, the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Israel, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Latvia, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Montenegro and Ukraine.

The association aims to protect historical memory and to encourage young people to study the past, understand its lessons and take an active civic stand. Aleph hopes the new collection will find its way into schools and the country's cultural life, help teachers and pupils, and become part of Bulgaria's literary and historical archive today.

The previous nine collections are also on the Centre's website. The Ministry of Education and Science calls them "unique teaching aids" for history and literature. All the collections are part of the national campaign "An Hour of Dignity".

In mid-October, Aleph announced the theme of the 14th International Youth Contest for Literature and Film, "Whoever saves one human life saves the whole world": "Fireflies in the Dark".

Over its 13 editions, the Aleph contest has drawn nearly 2,500 authors from 16 countries, we reported on 19 October. The first Dimitar Peshev award from the History Faculty of Sofia University will be presented in Burgas this spring, at the youth contest's ceremony.

Pupils in grades 8 to 12 from Bulgaria and abroad can take part, as can students at arts universities. There are three categories: "Short story", "Video story" and "Artistic performance". Entries are accepted until 1 February 2027. The full rules are on the organisers' website.