The Folk Dance Ensemble “Codrenii”, representing the House of Culture in Călărași, Republic of Moldova, under the artistic direction of Igor Filipchuk, won the Grand Prize and the title of champion at the World Folk Cup – Sozopol 2026. The ensemble received a Gold Medal, the Grand Prix Cup, and a €500 voucher for participation in the 16th edition of the World Folk Championship “World Folk” 2026.

Second place in the final ranking was awarded to the “Veselyatsi” Dance Ensemble from Pleven, Bulgaria, under the artistic direction of Tsveten Dimitrov. The ensemble earned a Silver Medal, a trophy, and a €300 voucher for participation in the World Folk Championship.

Third place went to the “MI-RE-LA” Dance School from the village of German, Sofia Municipality, under the artistic direction of Mirela Dimitrova. The award included a Bronze Medal, a trophy, and a €200 voucher for participation in World Folk 2026.

During the official awards ceremony, the organizers and partners also presented their special awards. The Special Award of the Muses Association was presented to the “Nishan” Dance Group of the Prof. Asen Zlatarov Vocational High School of Electronics and Chemical Technologies in Pleven, under the artistic direction of Aneliya Atanasova.

The Special Award of the European Association of Folklore Festivals (EAFF) was presented to the “Srednogorski Polyah” Dance Ensemble from Ihtiman, under the artistic direction of Desislava Ivanova. The award also included a limited edition of Prof. Valeria Fol’s book “The Secret Societies of the Ancient Thracians.”

The third edition of the World Folk Cup – Sozopol 2026 was held as part of the 21st International Youth Arts Festival “The Muses” – Sozopol. The prestigious event was organized by the Muses Association and the Euro Folk Academy, hosted by the Municipality of Sozopol and the “Otets Paisii 1896” Community Cultural Centre – Sozopol. The event was held under the auspices of the European Association of Folklore Festivals (EAFF), an organization accredited with consultative status to the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The participants’ performances were evaluated by a professional jury consisting of Naska Kalata and Tsveten Dimitrov, with EAFF President Kaloyan Nikolov serving as Honorary Arbitrator. According to the championship regulations, all participants will receive points for the World Folklore Ranking, which tracks the performances of ensembles in international competitions organized under the auspices of the Association.

With its successful third edition, the World Folk Cup has established Sozopol as a new international stage for folklore art, bringing together performers from different countries in the spirit of cultural exchange, friendship, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.