The Voices That Carry Us Forward
On May 19, we welcomed more than 40 friends of Cedar Foundation – donors, volunteers, and long-time supporters – to this year’s Donor Appreciation Day at Hilton Sofia.
Every year, we bring this gathering to life as a way to celebrate the people who stand behind our mission: to thank them for their dedication, recognize their contribution, and look back together on everything we have achieved over the past twelve months. The evening is a tribute not only to those who support our cause, but also to those for whom it exists – the children and young people themselves.
This year, in her address to our guests, Executive Director Adriana Gotsova chose to place their voices at the center of the evening. Alongside presenting our 2025 annual report, she shared some of their thoughts – about the things that bring them joy, what makes them feel safe, what they dream of for themselves, and how they experience the environment we are building together. Their words, honest and unfiltered, remain the clearest reminder of why this work matters.
“Here, they treat us as equals, as people.” – This was one of the quotes that stayed with us while preparing for the event. It came from one of the teenagers in our refugee support programs and served as a powerful reminder of how much work still lies ahead – both for us as professionals and for society as a whole – before dignity, respect, and equal treatment stop feeling like exceptions.
Among the reflections shared that evening was one from 12-year-old Galya*:
“I like living in the house. I feel good here. I like the staff and the other children. I want more trips, spaghetti, and lasagna.” – A simple but beautiful picture of what safety really means: having enough peace of mind to think about vacations and your favorite food.
In her speech, Ms. Gotsova also looked back on some of the defining moments of the past year. Among them was the exhibition in Kyustendil featuring artwork created by young people working closely with art therapist Desislava Anakieva, as well as photographer Angel Zaharinov’s project, which was later shown in an exhibition in Kazanlak. The photographs were also displayed during our event at the Hilton.
Other highlights included Stani and Yulian’s participation in an international culinary competition in Zagreb, where Yulian returned home with third place, as well as the Bulgarian National Television documentary about Marti from our Protected Housing service in Kyustendil.
Guests also heard from Executive Director Alexandrina Dimitrova, who is currently on maternity leave. She spoke warmly about how, in her everyday life as a mother at the playground, other parents are often surprised that a director could step away from an organization for so long without worrying about how things are running in her absence.
“The answer is simple,” she said. “I know this team, and I know what they are capable of.”
She ended her message to donors with these words:
“All of you are part of Cedar Foundation, and the achievements in this annual report belong to you as much as they belong to us. And the next time someone at the playground asks me how the organization manages without me, I’ll look into the stroller, and there – somewhere between the pacifiers and the diapers – will be the annual report. I’ll simply hand it to them and say: everything you need to know is in there.”
This year, the gifts we prepared for our guests were inspired by art therapy. We created small coloring kits featuring stylized illustrations based on artwork by young people from our services. Through this gesture, we hoped to carry some of their creative energy beyond the walls of our centers and into the hands of the people who support them – while also inviting our guests to slow down and take a little time for themselves.
The evening brought one more special gift, this time from Toni, who lives in one of our family homes in Kyustendil. Making delicate beaded bracelets is her passion, and she had lovingly prepared one for every guest.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Hilton Sofia for hosting the event and providing the catering, as well as to Pernod Ricard and Pepsi for the drinks.
Special thanks also go to Tina Petkova for the beautiful makeup, and to Petya Pekunova from Smailka Photography, who once again captured some of the evening’s most heartfelt and vibrant moments.
Thanks to the photo mirror from Fotoninja.bg and the ever-smiling Aleksandar, we were once again able to preserve memories from this special night.
And finally, thank you to everyone who joined us that evening – for your trust, your steadfast support, and for continuing to help us build a community around one simple but vital belief: that every child, and every person, deserves safety, care, and a place where they can truly belong.
Explore our annual report HERE.
