Celebrating 30 Years of Bulgarian Public Relations Association

Dr. Manuela Toteva joined the jury of PR Prize 2026 and participated in the anniversary ceremony marking three decades of the Bulgarian Public Relations Association. The event highlighted the development, creativity, and increasing strategic maturity of Bulgaria’s communications sector.

I was honored to serve once again as a jury member for PR Prize 2026, one of Bulgaria’s established professional distinctions in public relations and strategic communication. This year’s edition had particular significance as it coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Bulgarian Public Relations Association. The anniversary ceremony brought together current and former leaders of the association, experienced communications professionals, representatives of business and academia, and a new generation of practitioners shaping the future of the profession.

Serving alongside colleagues who have contributed to the development of public relations in Bulgaria over the past three decades was both meaningful and inspiring. It also provided an opportunity to reflect on how significantly the communications profession has evolved—from its initial institutional development to its current role as a strategic function within organizations and society.

83 projects across 16 categories

PR Prize 2026 attracted 83 projects across 16 categories, demonstrating the creativity, professional standards, and strategic thinking of Bulgaria’s communications community.

The submitted projects reflected the expanding scope of contemporary public relations. Beyond media visibility and campaign execution, many of the entries addressed reputation, stakeholder engagement, social responsibility, community building, and the responsible use of emerging technologies.

The theme of this year’s competition, “The Voice of the Community,” was particularly relevant. It was visible not only in the nominated campaigns, but also in the discussions surrounding the awards.

The first edition of PR Talks brought together representatives of business, academia, media, students, and communications professionals to examine the future direction of the sector.

Communication as engagement

One message emerged clearly from the event: communication today is not simply about speaking to communities. It is about engaging with them. Effective communication requires dialogue, empathy, credibility, and trust. It also requires communications professionals to consider carefully how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are integrated into their work.

Technology can support research, content development, personalization, and analysis. However, meaningful communication continues to depend on human judgement, ethical responsibility, and a genuine understanding of the people and communities involved.