It’s Official: Vladislav Nikolov to Be Awarded the Title of Honorary Citizen of Varna

In an official letter addressed to Mr. Blagomir Kotsev, Mayor of Varna Municipality, and to the Chairman of the Municipal Council, Mr. Hristo Dimitrov, a Civic Initiative Committee, represented by Attorney Petya Manolova, formally proposed that Vladislav Nikolov, founder of the “I Believe and Help” Association, be awarded the title Honorary Citizen of Varna in recognition of his long-standing and large-scale charitable contributions.
Founded in 2015 as a small neighborhood initiative, “I Believe and Help” is the first campaign in Bulgaria to collect plastic bottle caps in support of premature and newborn babies. Over nearly a decade, it has grown into a national symbol of civic responsibility and compassion – and an emblem of the city of Varna. To date, the campaign has raised over BGN 500,000, including more than BGN 410,000 in 2023 alone. Its mission is grounded in three core goals:

1. Promoting environmental responsibility and protection
2. Educating, motivating, and engaging children and young people
3. Supporting hospital departments where human life depends on access to vital medical equipment

Since its inception, Vladislav Nikolov has united thousands of Bulgarians under a common cause of the “I Believe and Help” Charitable Campaign. United in purpose, they have collected and delivered for recycling more than 322,000 kilograms of plastic caps. And the results are remarkable:
– 22 pieces of medical equipment have been purchased and donated to the neonatal, maternity, and pediatric surgery departments at SHATOG “Prof. Dr. Dimitar Stamatov” – Varna and St. Anna University Hospital – Varna. These are life-saving tools that have supported thousands of babies and children across Eastern and Northeastern Bulgaria, including Popovo, Razgrad, Targovishte, Shumen, Silistra, Ruse, Shabla, Dobrich, Kavarna, and many others.
– At the beginning of 2023, the campaign, led by Vladislav Nikolov, donated Varna’s first and Bulgaria’s only specialized pediatric/neonatal ambulance, worth over BGN 260,000. In just one year, this vehicle participated in over 3,000 emergency cases!
– In September 2023, the campaign also donated Bulgaria’s first “I Believe and Help” mobile blood donation unit, valued at more than BGN 150,000, aiming to increase voluntary blood donation and support thousands in need.
“Instilling a spirit of volunteerism in children and students is another key contribution of the “I Believe and Help” Charitable Campaign, inspired and led by Vladislav Nikolov,” the Civic Initiative Committee emphasized.

In honoring Vladislav Nikolov with the title Honorary Citizen of Varna, the City recognizes a leader whose dedication has not only saved lives but also empowered communities, inspired youth, and transformed everyday actions into national change.