The Burgas Writers' Community has asked Burgas council to back two proposals: a national poetry and prose contest for children named after poet Toma Binchev, and a street named after him in the city's new neighborhoods. The idea marks 80 years since the Burgas writer's birth in 2026.

The contest would run every two years as part of the Burgas Autumn Literary Festival. The proposal names Burgas council, the education ministry and the writers' group as organizers.

Bulgarian authors with children's books published in the last two years could enter. There are two categories, poetry and prose, and the winner in each gets the national Toma Binchev award, 2,000 euros and a special sculpture. All shortlisted authors get a certificate.

The organizers say the contest should support good Bulgarian children's books and keep alive the memory of Binchev as a key figure in Burgas culture.

Binchev was born in Burgas in 1946 and died suddenly in 2013. He published his first poems as a child and later became known as a poet, writer, journalist, publisher and promoter of Bulgarian literature.

He ran literary clubs attended by young writers he mentored, including Petya Dubarova, Rosen Baev and Dimitrina Drumeva. He wrote many poetry collections and children's books. Some of his texts appeared in school readers and primers, and others became songs. He also compiled and published books by Bulgarian classic and contemporary authors.

Binchev won the national Petko R. Slaveikov award and was the first winner of the top prize at the Hristo Fotev national poetry contest. He was an honorary citizen of Burgas.