In June 2023, Dr Maria Staykova, a long-time NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ sponsor, and daughter of the artist Anastas Staykov, initiated with the Fund the establishment of a donation account, titled ‘Ralitsa’, to award an eponymous prize.
The account is in the name of her mother, Ralitsa Beleva-Staykova (1921–2005), who worked for many years in the field of biochemistry. It is intended to ensure the financial security of the Ralitsa Prize, which the donor wishes to be presented annually by the Fund with the assistance of the Higher Medical University of Plovdiv.
Ms Staykova undertakes to provide the necessary funding. The prize is to be awarded to three students from the Medicine, Dental Medicine, or Pharmacy specialisms of the Medical University of Plovdiv, who have achieved excellent results in Biochemistry.
The donor has proposed that the amount granted in 2023 should be EUR 200 for each awardee.
The Fund set up the donation account pursuant to the decision of the Fund’s Management Board dated 27 June 2023.