Divna Zhelecheva from Burgas won first prize at the 21st International Painting and Graphics Competition "In My Homeland" in Minsk, while Petra Landzheva took third. Both study at the fine arts school of the Centre for Personal Development Support (CPDS) in Burgas.

Kaloyana Iliyeva and Tia Yordanova from the same school received letters of thanks for taking part. The work of their teacher, Sevina Traykova, was also noted.

This year's competition drew 6,770 works from 24 countries.

The ceremony in Minsk was opened by Vladimir Shevtsov, head of the education centre of Green Cross Belarus, and his deputy Elena Popova. About 100 guests came, among them young artists, their families and partners of the competition.

Swiss ambassador Christine Honegger attended, along with representatives of the embassies of India, Kazakhstan, the UK and Germany.

Shevtsov and Popova said teachers play a big part in helping young talents grow, and that a child's view of the world, shown through art, has its own value.

The Belarusian Orthodox Church, the Scientific and Practical Centre for Bioresources and the A. K. Glebov Minsk College of Arts gave special awards of their own.