Between 13 and 15 February, a three-day training under the project “European Values and Cultural Identity of Young People from Northwestern Bulgaria” was held at Hotel “Hemus” in Vratsa. The initiative brought together 21 motivated young people from the region, ready to deepen their knowledge and develop an active civic stance. A special guest at the opening was Kalin Kamenov, Mayor of Vratsa Municipality, who delivered an inspiring message encouraging young people to follow their dreams and boldly strive to achieve them. In his address, he emphasized the importance of sustainable policies in the fields of culture and education, through which the municipality consistently promotes youth engagement, talent, and ambition for development.
The training combined theoretical knowledge with small group work, placing a strong focus on critical thinking, active citizenship, and understanding European values through the lens of local cultural and historical memory. Among the speakers were Ivan Nachev, Executive Director of Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”, Yonko Grozev, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights (2015–2024); Monika Yanakieva, Director of the “Selection, Contracting and Reporting” Directorate at the Human Resource Development Centre, Ivan Radev, Executive Director of the Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria; Adela Bozmarova from the National Youth Forum and Petar Georgiev, reporter and editor of the programme “Panorama” on Bulgarian National Television.
The main objective of the project is to raise awareness among young people in the region about the rights, principles, and values of the European Union, linking them to their cultural identity and historical heritage. Through this dialogue between the European and the local, we are building more confident, responsible, and engaged young citizens.
The project is implemented by the Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza” in partnership with the Union of Young Writers and is funded by PROTEUS project of the Transatlantic Foundation, co-funded by the European Union.
