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<!DOCTYPE html SYSTEM "about:legacy-compat"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"><head xmlns="" prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns# fb: http://ogp.me/ns/fb#"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><base href="//afbulgaria.org/cdir/afbulgaria.org/custom/SiteBuilder/afbulgaria.org/"><title>About us - American Foundation for Bulgaria</title><meta property="og:title" content="About us"><meta property="og:image" content="http://afbulgaria.org/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/diko_mihov_BW.jpg"><meta property="og:url" content="http://afbulgaria.org/16/page.html"><meta name="language" content="en"><meta name="keywords" content=""><meta name="description" content=""><meta name="Generator" content="OnlineHub SiteBuilder http://www.onlinehub.bg"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1.0"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=9"><meta name="robots" content="index, follow" /><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" 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oh_clone_id_page_16 oh_clone_order_3 oh_mb_with_third_column" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://www.schema.org/WebPage"><div id="oh_site_wrapper"><div id="oh_page"><div id="oh_page_wrapper"><div id="oh_page_top"></div><div id="oh_site_header"><div id="oh_site_header_wrapper"><div class="oh_width"><div class="oh_logo_wrapper"><a id="oh_site_logo_title" href="/4/page.html"><img id="oh_site_logo" alt="American Foundation for Bulgaria" src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/logo-transp.png"></img></a></div><div class="afb_top"><div id="oh_tab_navigation"><ul id="oh_main_navigation"><li class="oh_passive oh_first oh_link_to_page_4"><a href="/4/page.html">Home</a></li><li class="oh_passive oh_first oh_link_to_page_88"><a href="/88/page.html">Programs</a></li><li class="oh_active oh_link_to_page_16"><a href="/16/page.html">About us</a></li><li class="oh_passive oh_last oh_link_to_page_13"><a href="/13/page.html">Contacts</a></li><li class="oh_passive oh_first oh_link_to_news_list_5"><a href="/5/news_list.html">News</a></li><li class="oh_link_to_page_2 oh_language_navigation_link"><a href="/2/page.html">BG</a></li></ul></div><div class="afb_slogan">For excellence in education, sciences and arts</div></div></div></div></div><div id="oh_zone_content_roof"><div class="oh_additional_info oh_infobox oh_first oh_1_in_row oh_infobox_id_19"><div class="oh_sidebox"><div xmlns="" class=" ole_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_cover_page oh_cover_background_1 oh_no_repeat oh_background_cover oh_cover_text_1 oh_content_width oh_height_follow "><div class=" oh_cover_page_content oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_text_over_image oh_text_hposition_right oh_text_vposition_top oh_text_light_color oh_text_shadow_off oh_text_over_image_width_60 oh_text_pad_no "><div class=" oh_img_wrap "><div class=" oh_img "><p><img src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/about.jpg"></p></div></div><div class=" oh_text " data-ole-content-type="text"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="oh_sidebox_delimiter oh_last"></hr></div><div class="oh_width"><nav id="oh_mobile_top" data-oh-hide-direction="" class="oh_mobile"><a class="oh_mobile" id="oh_mobile_nav_button" href="http://afbulgaria.org/16/page.html#oh_mobile_navigation"><span>Mobile Version</span></a><div id="oh_language_navigation_mobile"><ul><li class="oh_first oh_passive oh_link_to_page_2"><a href="/2/page.html">BG</a></li></ul></div></nav><div id="oh_main_box" class="oh_mb_with_third_column"><div class="afb_main_box_wrapper"><main id="oh_content_column" class="oh_width_2 oh_with_third_column" itemprop="mainContentOfPage"><div class="oh_column_padding"><div class="oh_headline"><h1 xmlns="" class=" oh_template " data-ole-content-type="documentTitle" data-ole-template-id="documentTitle">About us</h1></div><article><div xmlns="" class=" ole_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p>American Foundation for Bulgaria was founded in 2004 as an american non-profit organization for public benefit (501 (c3), according to the US Tax Law. The Foundation is registered in Boston, Massachusetts. Since 2004, a Bulgaria-based branch works as a non-government juristic person.</p></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 oh_delimiter_transparent " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><h2>Mission and goals</h2></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p>The mission of the American Foundation for Bulgaria is to support, to encourage and to contribute to the excellent results in education, natural and humantirarian sciences, culture and arts by providing annual scholarships, funding projects and supporting different causes.</p><p>It is our belief that in a free and democratic society, individuals can aspire to and achieve their goals in all of these areas. With this innate understanding, we strive to support young people in their pursuit of excellence, and to provide the means with which they can develop their talent and expertise in their chosen fields.</p><p>The Foundation is committed to the strong international spirit of cooperation that exists between Bulgaria and the United States; and, we endeavor to support that relationship through scientific, cultural, business and artistic exchanges between the two countries.</p><p>American Foundation for Bulgaria works only with its own programs and projects, and under a budget specified by the Board of Directors in advance.</p></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 oh_delimiter_transparent " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><h2>Founders</h2></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section_wrapper oh_canvas oh_section_counter_0 " data-ole-canvas-type="sectionWrapper" data-ole-template-id="multipleSections"></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section_wrapper oh_canvas oh_section_counter_3 "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section oh_default oh_canvas " data-ole-template-id="singleSectionWithTitle"><div class="oh_section_border"><div class=" oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_text_image oh_text_image_left oh_text_image_text_floats oh_text_image_width_100 "><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="oh_img_text_wrap" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><div xmlns="" class=" oh_img "><p><img src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/diko_mihov_BW.jpg"></p></div></div><section class=" oh_text_wrapper "><h5 style="text-align: center;">Diko Mihov</h5><p></p><p>Diko Mihov graduated from the School of Mathematics in his hometown of Dobrich. In the mid 1980s he won a gold and silver medal for Bulgaria at International Mathematics Olympiads. He continued his education in the United States and obtained a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Makes a career in the field of financial asset management. He is the most generous donator and first President of the Foundation.</p></section></div></div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section oh_default oh_canvas " data-ole-template-id="singleSectionWithTitle"><div class="oh_section_border"><div class=" oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_text_image oh_text_image_left oh_text_image_text_floats oh_text_image_width_100 "><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="oh_img_text_wrap" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><div xmlns="" class=" oh_img "><p><img src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/Teodor-Vasilev_BW.jpg"></p></div></div><section class=" oh_text_wrapper "><h5 style="text-align: center;">Teodor Vassilev</h5><p></p><p>Theodore (Ted) Vassilev is the President and a founder of DTR Modern Galleries, the largest gallery operation on the East Coast of the USA, specializing in modern and contemporary art. Ted belongs to the Appraisers Association of America, Inc. and is a co-founder of Winston Art Group, the world’s leading art appraisal and advisory company. He regularly presents on investing in art as an alternative asset to financial institutions and art fairs, and has published several books on contemporary art. </p><p>Previously, Ted was the business director at the not-for-profit Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in New York City, launching the careers of emerging artists and strategically positioning mid-career and established artists on the marketplace.</p><p>Ted is on the board of the Serpentine Galleries, London UK, whose Chairman is Michael Bloomberg. In 2012 Ted became a founding member and trustee of the Americas Foundation of the Serpentine Galleries. He is also on the Board of Patrons of the McMillan Museum in Boston. Since 2017 he has been a member of the International board of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. <br> Ted received a graduate degree in art market and connoisseurship from Christie's, New York. Prior to that he completed PhD studies in international relations at Boston College and was a graduate fellow at the Harvard Russian Research Center. </p><p>Ted received a graduate degree in art market and connoisseurship from Christie's, New York. Prior to that he completed PhD studies in international relations at Boston College and was a graduate fellow at the Harvard Russian Research Center. </p><p>He is currently the President and Executive Director of the Foundation.</p></section></div></div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section oh_default oh_canvas " data-ole-template-id="singleSectionWithTitle"><div class="oh_section_border"><div class=" oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_text_image oh_text_image_left oh_text_image_text_floats oh_text_image_width_100 "><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="oh_img_text_wrap" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><div xmlns="" class=" oh_img "><p><img src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/Aleksei-Hristov_BW.jpg"></p></div></div><section class=" oh_text_wrapper "><h5 style="text-align: center;">Alexey Hristov</h5><p></p><p>Alexey Hristov graduated English language high school in his hometown of Vratsa. In 1990, he enrolled at the Ecclesiastic Academy St. Kliment Ohridski and in 1997 received a Master's Degree in Theology from Sofia University. Hristov has worked for Darik radio, the Democratic Review magazine, and the Citizen Association. In 2001, he won a scholarship from the Georgetown University where he spent one year as an academic scholar and researcher. At Georgetown he studied the non-profit sector in the US, the civic society and public administration. Since 2010 he is founder and chairman of the Management Board of Natural Sciences Olympic Teams Association.</p></section></div></div></div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 oh_delimiter_transparent " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><h2>American Foundation for Bulgaria – branch Bulgaria Team</h2></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p><strong>Alexey Hristov</strong> – Program Director; Manager of American Foundation for Bulgaria – branch Bulgaria<br><strong>Iglika Lukanova</strong> – Program Coordinator – Education and Science Programs<br><strong>Nora Angelova</strong> – Program Coordinator – Support for University Students' Film Projects Program and Early Bird International Student Film Festival <br><strong>Rada Boneva</strong> – Technical Assistant Trainee</p><p><img alt="" src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/team.jpg"></p><p>Over the years the trainees of the American Foundation for Bulgaria were:</p><p>Melania Berbatova (2014) – Student at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"<br> Stanislav Atanasov (2013) – student at Yale University, USA<br> Vera Duleva (2012) – Student at University of National and World Economy, Sofia<br> Selena Seatti (2011)<br> Paula Angelova (2011)<br> Leah Trenovska (2010) – Student at University of Applied Science, Germany<br> Mirela Zaneva (2009)<br> Tsvetelina Tseneva (2008)<br> Vanya Tsotomanova – Student at the American University in Bulgaria<br> Maria Stefanova – Student at the American University in Bulgaria<br> Iva Gumnishka – Student at Columbia University, USA<br> Delyan Hristov</p></div></div></div></article></div></main><div id="oh_third_column"><div class="oh_column_padding"><div class="oh_additional_info oh_infobox oh_first oh_1_in_row oh_infobox_id_16"><div class="oh_sidebox"><div class="oh_headline"><h1 xmlns="" class=" oh_template " data-ole-content-type="documentTitle" data-ole-template-id="documentTitle">Current</h1></div><div xmlns="" class=" ole_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_text_over_image oh_text_hposition_right oh_text_vposition_top oh_text_light_color oh_text_shadow_off oh_text_over_image_width_60 oh_text_pad_no "><div class=" oh_img_wrap "><div class=" oh_img "><p><a href="/4/240/news_item.html" class=" oh_wraps_img"><img alt="" src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/scholarships_2024.jpg"></a></p></div></div><div class=" oh_text " data-ole-content-type="text"></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><h3>October 01-30, 2024</h3><p><a href="/4/240/news_item.html">Accepting applications for student scholarships for 2024/2025</a></p></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 oh_delimiter_top_margin_300 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_text_over_image oh_text_hposition_right oh_text_vposition_top oh_text_light_color oh_text_shadow_off oh_text_over_image_width_60 oh_text_pad_no "><div class=" oh_img_wrap "><div class=" oh_img "><p><a href="/5/229/news_item.html" class=" oh_wraps_img"><img alt="" src="/cdir/afbulgaria.org/files/lords_of_the_salt_02.jpg"></a></p></div></div><div class=" oh_text " data-ole-content-type="text"></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><h3>June 12 - October 27, 2024</h3><p><a href="/5/229/news_item.html">“The Lords of Salt: Provadia-Solnitsata 5600 – 4350 BC” еxhibition</a></p></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 oh_delimiter_top_margin_300 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="oh_sidebox_delimiter oh_last"></hr></div></div></div></div><div id="oh_page_bottom"></div><div class="oh_mobile" id="oh_mobile_navigation"><div class="oh_composite_navigation"><h3>Mobile Version</h3><div class="oh_global_constant_group"><div class="oh_global_navigation"><ul><li class="oh_link_to_page_88"><a href="/88/page.html">Programs</a></li><li class="oh_link_to_page_16"><a href="/16/page.html">About us</a></li><li class="oh_link_to_page_13"><a href="/13/page.html">Contacts</a></li><li class="oh_link_to_news_list_5"><a href="/5/news_list.html">News</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="oh_local_path_navigation"><ul><li><a href="/4/page.html" class="oh_go_prev">Home</a><ul><li><span class="oh_active">About us</span><ul class="oh_local_path_children"></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div><a class="oh_mobile" id="oh_mobile_page_top_button" href="http://afbulgaria.org/16/page.html#oh_page_top"> </a></div></div></div><div class="footer_zones"><div class="oh_width"><div id="oh_zone_footer"><div class="oh_additional_info oh_infobox oh_first oh_1_in_row oh_infobox_id_11"><div class="oh_sidebox"><div xmlns="" class=" ole_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_transparent oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section_wrapper oh_canvas oh_section_counter_3 "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section oh_default oh_canvas " data-ole-template-id="singleSectionWithTitle"><div class="oh_section_border"><h3 class=" oh_template oh_section_title " data-ole-content-type="sectionTitle"><div>Content</div></h3><div class=" oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p><a href="/5/news_list.html">News</a><br><a href="/16/page.html">About us</a><br><a href="/13/page.html">Contacts</a></p></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_social_follow_bar "><a class="oh_social_fb_follow oh_social_follow" title="Follow us on Facebook" target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%91%D1%8A%D0%BB%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F-73387318891/?epa=SEARCH_BOX"></a></div></div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section oh_default oh_canvas " data-ole-template-id="singleSectionWithTitle"><div class="oh_section_border"><h3 class=" oh_template oh_section_title " data-ole-content-type="sectionTitle"><div>Programs in USA</div></h3><div class=" oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p><a href="/92/page.html">Bugarian Concert Evenings</a><br><a href="/93/page.html">Fine Art Exhibition, Loan and Donation</a><br><a href="/94/page.html">The Hristo Botev Bulgarian School</a><br><a href="/95/page.html">The Gergana Children's Chorus</a></p></div></div></div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_section oh_default oh_canvas " data-ole-template-id="singleSectionWithTitle"><div class="oh_section_border"><h3 class=" oh_template oh_section_title " data-ole-content-type="sectionTitle"><div>Programs in Bulgaria</div></h3><div class=" oh_canvas "><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p><a href="/98/page.html">Education</a><br><a href="/82/page.html">Arts</a><br><a href="/84/page.html">Cuture, and historical heritage</a><br><a href="/102/page.html">Sciences</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_delimiter oh_delimiter_top_margin_100 oh_delimiter_bottom_margin_100 oh_delimiter_line " data-ole-template-id="delimiter"><div></div></div><div class=" oh_row oh_template oh_widget oh_expandable "><div><p><span class=" oh_date ">Attribution <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people" target="_blank">People photo created by nensuria - 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