On 1 November, the Day of the National Revival Leaders, the Ministry of Culture awarded 39 cultural figures with the Golden Century Star Award for their high creative achievements or contribution to the development and promotion of Bulgarian culture. The other honourees received a necklace and a star, a gold and silver "Seal of Tsar Simeon the Great" badge of honour and diplomas for their contribution to the development and promotion of Bulgarian culture.

Professor Dr. Borislava Taneva and Assoc. Prof. Plamen Savov handed out the Golden Century – Star Award to the bass Dimitar Stanchev. The Ministry of Culture pointed out that for 50 years he supported over 60 central bass roles, including: Philip II – "Don Carlos", Prince Gremlin – "Eugene Onegin", De Silva – "Ernani", Mephistopheles – "Faust", Pimen and Varlaam – "Boris Godunov", etc. His concert performances include cantata-oratorio works by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Verdi and contemporary composers.

Stanchev has won prizes in competitions – at home and abroad.

The bass thanked for the award above all the Sofia Opera, the institute that nominated him, the Ministry of Culture and God that he is healthy and can still devote himself to the art of opera.

Among the honoured cultural figures are: Angel Wagenstein, Mihail Nedelchev, Plamen Dzhurov, Margarita Mladenova, Lyudmil Angelov, Petar Anastasov, Alexander Morfov, Ivan Dobchev, Prof. Ivan Slavov and others.