A Triumph for Burgas Poetry in Chicago

Burgas poets Diana Furtunova and Natalia Nedyalkova once again proved their talent by winning prestigious awards at the International Literary Contest "Exquisite Pen 2026 – Chicago".

"If you have given..." – this was the motto of the contest, organized by the Confederation of Bulgarian Cultural Organizations Abroad and the Salon for Bulgarian Culture and Spirituality – Chicago.

An authoritative five-member jury evaluated the works in the poetry and prose categories. The results are more than impressive for the representatives of the Burgas writers' community:

  • Diana Furtunova: 2nd prize for the poem "Two Crumbs of Kindness".
  • Natalia Nedyalkova: 3rd prize for the work "Poorly Optimistic".

The awards ceremony is scheduled for July 9 in Sofia. This success follows a series of accolades for the two ladies in June – the grand prize from "Sakar Whispers" for Furtunova and special recognition from the "Binyo Ivanov" contest for Nedyalkova. Their achievements solidify the authority of the Burgas literary school on the international stage.