Prof. Dr. Georgi Lozanov (1926-2012), doctor of Medical Sciences, is the founder of the science of the suggestion, Suggestology, and Suggestopedagogy. He was a physician, neuropsychiatrist and psychotherapist. He had also worked as a brain researcher at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He was professor at the University of Sofia “Saint Kliment Ohridsky” and director of the Centre of Suggestology and Development of Personality at the same university. He was author and co-author of various methods for learning foreign languages and other subjects on the level of the reserve capacities of the brain/psyche. He also created some original psychotherapeutical methods for treating neurotic and psychosomatic diseases and developed methods for meditative self-development. Most importantly, he created a new scientific direction: Desuggestology and Desuggestopedia – getting free from pathological suggestions. Professor Lozanov was a visiting lecturer at a number of universities, institutes and organisations in Europe, Asia and America. He trained teachers, physicians, psychologists, managers and students from all over the world. Dr. G. Lozanov and Dr. E. Gateva-Hinkova supported the activities of many suggestopedagogical centres in the world. In their last years, they worked mostly in Austria (Viktorsberg and Vienna).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evelina Gateva-Hinkova (1939-1997), PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, was a Senior Researcher at the Centre of Suggestology at the Sofia University “Saint Kliment Ohridsky”. She was in charge of the teacher training programme in Suggestopedagogy. She graduated in Italian and Spanish Philology at the above University as well as in Musical Pedagogy at the Music Pedagogical University in Plovdiv. Her scientific work for more than 25 years together with Dr. G. Lozanov was a contribution to Pedagogy. She investigated the influence of different kinds of art – their place in Suggestopedagogy and Desuggestopedia for utilizing the reserve capacities of the brain/psyche. Dr. Gateva Hinkova had also worked as a professional singer giving concerts of classical music. She created her own method for speech-vocal voice training for different specialists. She regularly taught Italian as well. She instructed teachers, psychologists, managers and students from all over the world. Dr. Gateva-Hinkova was also a visiting lecturer at a number of universities, institutes and organisations in Europe, Asia and America. Much of her work has been published. Her most important monography is “Creating Wholeness through Art” (1991; London; Minneapolis).