Supported initiatives under the “Action” fund
Thematic area “EU rights”
Inc. №: EUV/47
Organization: National Network of Health Mediators
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.zdravenmediator.net
Name of the initiative: Our Common Values! Increasing the ability for understanding the core EU values among Roma communities
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 55 174.55 (EUR)
Resume:
The main goal of the activities planned under the initiative is to counter disinformation among the Roma communities in Bulgaria by raising their awareness about the functioning of the EU and boosting their capacity to understand the EU shared goals and values. The initiative will be implemented in two stages. During the first stage 3 training sessions for mediators will be held for 60 participants in total. The agenda will include discussions about the current political situation in Bulgaria, confidence in democracy and the EU as well as main issues affected by disinformation that the participants face on a daily basis in the neighbourhoods they live and work in. The second stage of the initiative will build on the campaigns already implemented by the organization to raise awareness in the Roma communities. The mediators trained during the first stage will hold and carry out discussions and campaigns to reach more than 700 inhabitants in 7 municipalities. The initiative will contribute in the long run to developing critical thinking about key issues facing the Bulgarian society and politics and will raise awareness of the civil society, the work of NGOs as well as will boost motivation for active citizen participation.
Quite a large number of the inhabitants of the Roma neighbourhoods earn their living in the EU Member States. They learn from first-hand experience or from the experience of their relatives and transfer to Bulgaria a lot of practices established abroad, which they appreciate positively. Lower education, insufficient historical and political knowledge and the rampant dissemination of populist rhetoric make the Roma a target of disinformation campaigns. Information campaigns and facilitated discussions in the Roma communities are particularly important to encourage and support the Roma in engaging more actively in the social life in order to improve the well-being of all citizens in Bulgaria.
Results:
Between October 2023 and June 2025, the National Network of Health Mediators Association implemented the initiative “Our Common Values.” During the implementation, three training sessions and 32 meetings were held in 15 Roma communities with over 700 people. Participants received information on various issues with a focus on:
· The history and role of the EU in the 20th and 21st centuries;
· EU values – what they are, why they are important, how they affect our lives and daily routines;
· Human rights and the role of the EU and democratic governance as a guarantor of their observance;
· Bulgaria’s place and role in the EU, including Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area;
· Bulgaria’s accession to the Eurozone and myths about the introduction of the Euro;
· Civic participation. The right to vote as a fundamental form of civic participation;
· The role of civil society organizations and the freedom of association.
During the meetings, various false news stories and suggestions aimed at creating anxiety, fear, and confusion among people on key geopolitical issues for Bulgaria were discussed and refuted. The discussions with people on the ground were lively and clearly showed how important it is to have an open dialogue in which someone answers the questions that cause concern – personally, with facts and face to face.
Being close to people, working with them on the ground, patiently listening to their arguments and fears, and having open conversations proved to be an effective approach against fake news and disinformation, as well as for restoring trust in civic engagement and preserving our shared (European) values.
Inc. №: EUV/60
Organization: Gutenberg 3.0 foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.knigovishte.bg, www.vijte.bg
Name of the initiative: EU rights in in the language of the kids: Involving the youngest pupils in understanding the fundamental values and rights of EU citizens
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 49 213.58 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims at investing in knowledge of the democratic values underlying the EU and the rights of the EU citizens. The initiative is targeted at children at the age when children’s value system and attitude to the world is shaped (aged 7-14). The implementing organization offers an innovative tool to involve children from this difficult to reach age group in these topics; at the same time the initiative plans to train teachers to apply the civil education methodology through partnership with a good-quality children’s media. Articles for children will be created devoted to topics connected with the EU values and rights; the articles will be published at www.vijte.bg, then re-published in Dnevnik newspaper, broadcast on the Bulgarian National Radio and published as podcasts. The teachers that take part in the initiative will acquire knowledge and skills to teach civil competences and knowledge of the EU tailored to the specific age group that teachers will be able to further use in their job. With the help of Vijte children’s media and the Bulgarian National Radio, the content created under the initiative will be publicly accessible to all children across the country. The short-term goal of the initiative is to introduce more children to the EU values and help them accept them gradually as their own values. The initiative will also support teachers to work in a contemporary, innovative and attractive manner on civil education topics with students from an early school age. In the long run the initiative aims at helping the next generation be actively engaged in the society, be aware of, share and uphold democratic principles and the EU values.
Results:
With this project we invested into building knowledge about the democratic values underpinning the EU among the future active citizens of Bulgaria. As part of the project, we created a series of articles on topics related to EU values and rights, aimed at children aged 7 – 14, which we published on our children’s mania www.vijte.bg. Together with the Bulgarian National Radion, we created radio news based on these articles, which were broadcast by BNR as “News in children’s language” daily. In the form of a podcast, these radio news were published both on Spotify and on the BNR’s online platform and on Vijte.bg. We developed a series of mechanisms to encourage children to read the articles, and to stimulate the teachers to work with them in class. We created a questionnaire to go with each of the articles, and children accumulate points in Knigovishte.bg when they solve them. We reached children from 87 locations across the country. 150 classes worked with the articles, and by the end of the project the articles had been read over 150.000 times, and their readership is growing. We held a competition between students for their knowledge of the topics covered in the articles. We can confidently say that, as a result of the project, more Bulgarian children today know EU values well and see them as their own. We have also created a modern tool and age-appropriate content that teachers can continue to use to discuss EU values with the youngest pupils in our country.
Inc. №: EUV/112
Organization: Teach For Bulgaria Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://zaednovchas.bg/
Name of the initiative: How we teach values
Duration in months: 16
Contract Sum: 40 115.00 (EUR)
Resume:
The latest Eurobarometer studies show that Bulgarians are skeptical about the future of the EU and that the attitude toward the EU support for the war in Ukraine remains polarized. At the same time the findings of the 2018 PISA study placed Bulgarian students among the least tolerant ones towards differences and foreign cultures. These trends manifest the need to draw attention in the education system to the discussion about values as a guiding light for the decisions and lines of action of our public. Given the information-dense school curricula, it is important to make this topic an integral part of the learning process and the different subjects learnt. At the moment the topic is addressed indirectly in some of the compulsory subjects and directly in civil education classes. However, the latter subject has to address a lot of topics and the teachers of civil education share their need for more up-to-date and interesting materials. There is no clear and accurate information about how teachers perceive the place of this topic in the education process, as no such studies have been carried out. Thus, the decisions made about the learning aids often do not include the views and needs of the people that have to teach using them. Civic culture and European orientation can be sustainably built in the attitudes and beliefs of school students only when they actively recognize them in various school subjects and thematic fields. To achieve the latter in the most efficient way, the initiative will study the needs of 200 high school teachers to find out what will make them feel more confident to draw attention to the topic of values in the education process. The findings of the study aim to trigger a debate with all the stakeholders so that the topic of the value orientation of the society will be included in the agenda. Based on the findings, materials will be prepared, providing clear guidelines about the integration of European values in the mandatory subjects of the curriculum. In order to ensure greater awareness and reach a maximum number of teachers, face-to-face training sessions will be held and an online course will be organized for a total of 280 teachers. The initiative will change the students’ attitudes and awareness of the topic in the long run.
Results:
The main goal of “How Do We Teach Values?” was to support secondary school teachers in integrating European values and rights into their work.
As part of the initiative, a representative survey among teachers was first conducted – through questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups – in order to explore their attitudes, needs, and perceptions. Based on the collected data, 20 teaching materials were developed across various subjects in the social sciences and humanities. These quickly found wide application – nearly 4,800 downloads from the Prepodavame.bg platform, with 77% of teachers stating that they would recommend them to their colleagues.
The professional development component proved particularly successful. Instead of the initially planned three in-person trainings for 80 teachers, seven online subject-specific trainings were held, engaging 770 teachers. In parallel, an online course was created, which by the end of the initiative had already attracted over 300 participants.
Thus, the initiative significantly exceeded its original objectives. Teachers not only received practical guidance and resources but were also actively involved in the process of creating and refining the materials. The results will remain sustainable through the open access to the survey, the teaching materials, and the online course on Prepodavame.bg, ensuring their use in the years to
Inc. №: EUV/78
Organization: Forty-two Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://42training.org/
Partner: Darik Foundation
Name of the initiative: What does the EU really mean for you
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 54 006.11 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims to offer the public an alternative way of providing information about the European Union and the importance of EU membership for each of us. The initiative comes in response to the widespread anti-European disinformation over the last few years. Unfortunately, the fight against this phenomenon mainly relies on the use of very well-reasoned language, which in most cases sounds like scientific jargon and is incomprehensible for the majority of the people (as well as off-putting and repulsive for the young people). Fact-checking and creating articles addressing the topic is important. However, there are very few examples among the available information channels (media materials/vlogs/podcasts/blogs) that explain in an accessible way the advantages of the EU membership without doing it seemingly in response to the already popular fake claims, which triggers resistance in some of the hardliners. The initiative plans to carry out a study looking for the EU-related topics that provoke the greatest public hesitancy, identifying messages and approaches that provide trustworthy information and creating more than 120 information and audio and video materials leading to a pro-European emotional response in people to these topics. Foundation 42 will invest the accumulated expertise and the developed capacity of the youth team of podcast reporters/anchors in the creation of audio and video materials (48 in total) devoted to the identified topics and targeted at people aged 20-35. With the help of the partners from Darik Foundation, the team’s capacity will be further developed, drawing on the experience of leading journalists and Darik Radio will broadcast on air 26 programmes targeted at the audience aged 35+ on the same topics. In this way the initiative will reach in the short term more than 250 000 users of online content and the audience of the national Darik Radio of more than a million listeners. The following numbers will increase in the long run due to the fact that the created audio and video content will be available for future use on all platforms for sharing (YouTube, Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, etc.). The materials will be published and disseminated among more than 5000 other NGOs as well that could borrow ideas and motivation for their own activity.
Results:
The initiative “What Does the EU Really Mean to You?”, led by Foundation “Forty-Two” in partnership with Darik Foundation, aimed to counter disinformation about the values and policies of the European Union. Within the project, 50 podcast episodes, 50 articles, and 26 radio programs were produced, addressing topics such as education, human rights, democracy, European integration, artificial intelligence, ecology, and culture. Through these efforts, the project reached an audience of more than 250,000 people, including Darik Radio’s million-strong listenership.
A special emphasis was placed on engaging young people as hosts, authors, and content creators. They gained valuable hands-on experience in journalism, social media management, and communication with experts and practitioners. The collaboration between Darik’s experienced media team and the youth team of Channel 4 became a best practice in sharing knowledge, skills, and motivation.
All created content remains accessible online, ensuring its long-term impact. At the same time, the Channel 4 youth team plans to continue producing new content, meaning the project not only achieved its goals but also laid the groundwork for sustainability and further growth.
Inc. №: EUV/102
Organization: Human and Social Studies Foundation – Sofia
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://hssfoundation.org/
Partner: Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria (AEJ – Bulgaria)
Name of the initiative: Europe Against Antidemocratic Propaganda
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 43 324.64 (EUR)
Resume:
Anti-democratic propaganda and disinformation, the Russian propaganda most of all, but also the Chinese propaganda as well as some nationalist and populist and conspiratorial narratives, aim mainly to undermine confidence in the European and national democratic institutions by using different means to subvert the image of united Europe and the EU. The European Democracy Action Plan emphasizes the need to develop mechanisms and political measures to counter disinformation in the EU Member States. Disinformation is spread in a much more powerful way in some countries, as they are susceptible to the Russian propaganda online. Data from the reports of the Human and Social Studies Foundation (HSSF) (2022; 2023), as well as from other NGOs, shows that propaganda increased after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and peaked after the war in Ukraine broke out (the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), 2022; Factcheck, 2023). The initiative plans to analyze propaganda in Bulgaria aiming at destabilizing the image of the European Union and the EU institutions in the Bulgarian media online through the SENSIKA system, on the one hand, as well as set up a local and international network of NGOs in Bulgaria (Association of European Journalists-Bulgaria, CSD, Data for Good, Factcheck, Sofia Security Forum, etc.) and in Eastern Europe (Globul Focus, Romania; Association of Independent Press of Moldova, Informational Forces of Ukraine (IFU) with the help of NATO StratCom Centre in Riga and the EU East StratCom Task Force), on the other hand. The initiative is mainly aimed at strengthening the NGO capacity to counter disinformation and providing a connection to the institutions, possibly setting up StratCom Centre in the Balkans. The expected results are as follows: 1. countering disinformation in practice through the publication on the HSSF website of reports about the subversion of the image of Europe and the EU; 2. monthly publication of an article in the mass media with examples of the subversion of the image of Europe and the EU – AEJ (Factcheck); 3. setting up a network of NGOs in Bulgaria and in Eastern Europe to fight disinformation; 4. awareness of the main approaches used by the anti-EU propaganda.
Results:
The initiative of the HSSF “Europe against anti-democratic propaganda” addresses one of the current problems for Bulgarian society – the spread of anti-democratic disinformation and propaganda, which undermines the foundations of democracy and trust in European and national institions. Through the initiative, on the one hand, a detailed analysis of the propaganda itself in the field of destabilization of the image of European Union and European institutions in the Bulgarian media online through the SENSIKA system has been made and 12 articles on specific topics have been published on the factcheck.bg platform (AEJ), on the other hand, through the holding of the Sofia Information Integrity Forum conference, a local and international network of non-governmental organizations in Bulgaria and the countries of Eastern Europe has been formed, which improves the capacity at the regional level to counter disinformation and propaganda from NGOs, institutions, etc.
Inc. №: EUV/134
Organization: Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.schoolofpolitics.org
Name of the initiative: “COUNTER-PROPAGANDA CLOSE TO YOU” – IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL MEDIA AND LOCAL NEWS SITES TO TACKLE DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS
Duration in months: 14
Contract Sum: 39 286.26 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims at satisfying the need to build the capacity of the journalists from the local media and information websites to recognize and fight disinformation and fake news related to the values, goals and policies of the European Union. The planned activities develop gradually an overall training model. The initiative will start by analysing the content of local media and information websites to establish the extent to which disinformation and fake news penetrate on a local level. A Guide for Identification and Response to Disinformation and Fake News will be created and used in the training of 42 reporters to build and boost their skills to fight fake news and disinformation. The initiative also envisages to map local media by including them in an interactive map that will be available on the website of the Bulgarian School of Politics. The map will help boost the popularity of the local media as well as transparency in their work. The activity, which includes national training organized for all participants, will raise the knowledge and experience of journalists as well as enable the setting up of an informal network among them. The latter will also build trust and shape an overall value attitude to prevent and contain unchecked and speculative news, disinformation and external influence in the reporters’ work. As part of their training, the media representatives, included in the initiative, will have to publish in their media 4 standardized (prepared in advance) texts and/or advertising banners presenting the findings of the checks of fake news related to the EU values, goals and policies. Thus, in parallel with the initiative, an information campaign will be carried out that will multiply the outcomes and benefits of the initiative.
Results:
The initiative “Counterpropaganda close to you” – improving the capacity of local media and local news sites to tackle disinformation and fake news” aims to meet the need of building capacity of journalists from local media and news sites to recognize and deal with disinformation and fake news regarding the values, goals and policies of the European Union. The implementation started with an analysis of the content of local media and news sites in order to establish the degree of penetration of disinformation and fake news at the local level through them. In order to identify all actually working local media and promote their activities, an interactive map containing 396 media was developed. The initiative continued with the development of a handbook for journalists “Fake News and Information Disorder”. It included the most current trends and tools for dealing with disinformation and fake news. In order to provide information in a more understandable and accessible way, three infographics were also developed – “Tactics of the “agents of disinformation”, “Best practices – from journalists for journalists” and “In the world of “journalistic fantasy” – types of fake news”. The manual was presented to journalists from local and regional media during the national training organized as part of the initiative. 39 representatives of local and regional news sites, radios, televisions and newspapers took part in it. The project ended with a round table on the topic “Disinformation and fake news – a threat to the EU”. Political and civic leaders, university professors, media experts, journalists, students and representatives of the alumni community of the Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza” took part in it.
Inc. №: EUV/73
Organization: OFF MEDIA Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://offnews.bg
Name of the initiative: Information Against the Disinformation
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 46 983.70 (EUR)
Resume:
Bulgaria holds last place among the EU Member States and ranks 33rd among 41 states in the Media Literacy Index 2022. The Media Literacy Index is prepared under the European Policies Initiative (EuPI) of Open Society Institute – Sofia and the index assesses the potential to withstand fake news in 41 European countries by using indicators for media freedom, education and trust in people. Bulgaria showed the worst performance on the indicators measuring the quality of education, ranking 34th among 41 countries and lagging behind countries in the region that are not even EU Member States. The initiative offers accessible analysis and examples of disinformation in the daily online information flow and provides mechanisms to recognize and counter disinformation targeted at the EU values, goals and policies. Thus, the initiative helps strengthen the capacity of Bulgarian citizens to recognize disinformation and opens a debate about how to fight the phenomenon in the long run. The initiative aims at filling in the following gaps: insufficient capacity of the Bulgarian society to identify disinformation; insufficient awareness of the way in which disinformation operates in Bulgaria and of successful practices to counter it; the specificity of the information environment in Bulgaria; the need of response in the face of disinformation in the public space related to the EU values, goals and policies and the provision of a sufficient space for debate and analysis. At least 50 materials will be published under the initiative with examples of disinformation as well as 8 audio/video recordings offering a discussion of the registered cases with an audience of at least 200 000 people of the published/broadcast content. 10 analyses of disinformation online will be prepared together with some practical rules about how to recognize and counter disinformation.
Results:
The initiative “Information Against Disinformation” by the Off Media Foundation aimed to counter disinformation regarding the values, goals, and policies of the EU by raising public awareness and developing skills to recognize manipulative content. Regular monitoring of the online space was carried out, resulting in the publication of 56 articles instead of the 50 initially planned, reaching an audience of over 440,000 people. In addition, 11 in-depth analyses were prepared and published, presenting examples of disinformation in the Bulgarian online space and identifying the mechanisms by which it operates as well as methods for verifying the accuracy of information. These analyses reached more than 95,000 people. Furthermore, a podcast platform was created, within which 8 audio/video discussions were produced and broadcast, each accompanied by an article on topics related to identified cases of disinformation. These podcasts reached an audience of over 105,000 people.
In total, the initiative produced 75 journalistic pieces – articles, analyses, and podcasts – all published in the dedicated “Information Against Disinformation” section on OFFNews.bg. The campaign reached more than 640,000 people. To further promote the initiative, a dedicated Facebook page was developed, which expanded its reach on social media.
The initiative had a significant public impact by improving the ability of the Bulgarian public to recognize disinformation. The content created remains accessible beyond the project’s duration, ensuring long-term sustainability and opportunities for use by citizens, media organizations, and academic institutions.
Thematic area “Democracy”
Inc. №: EUV/41
Organization: Programme and Analytical Centre for European Law
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://www.ngobg.info/bg/organizations/1320-фондация-програмен-и-аналитичен-център-за-европейско-право.html
Name of the initiative: Civic Organisations – a Democratic and European Value
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 52 175.34 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative will help overcome one of the most significant reasons for growing public mistrust of the European Union (EU), i.e. low trust in NGOs protecting fundamental European values and rights, through the maintenance and upgrade of the Information Portal of Bulgarian NGOs (ngobg.info). The portal enables the NGOs registered in it to publish their own texts, presenting their work and performance, and ensures visibility for their campaigns via partnership with the media. The Portal offers its visitors (more than 300 000 people annually) information about and related to NGOs that has been prepared by NGOs themselves, the Portal team and external sources. The highlights of the content are the values the NGOs uphold and specific public benefits from their activity. The Portal is the largest information and reference hub for NGOs and civic activities in Bulgaria with a database that includes more than 14 300 NGOs and over 2 500 publications annually. The initiative will improve the awareness of the citizens of the role NGOs play in the society and in upholding European rights and values by providing information about the EU fundamental rights and values, specific examples how they apply in practice through the work of individual NGOs and specific and verifiable information about the work of NGOs in all fields of social development. The opportunities and services offered by the Portal will continue to boost the NGO capacity for presentation in public, improve public perception of NGOs, raise public awareness about the EU values and their protection and promote the application of the values in Bulgaria. In the short term the initiative will promote the 6 titles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the respective texts, give examples of the targeted work NGOs do to uphold and apply the specific rights and values, expand the reference section Library with appropriate materials related to the understanding of the EU rights and values and enrich the Portal with diverse texts and visions that will show to the public the real face and public contribution of NGOs and will help overcome the multiple prejudices about the NGO role, activity and aspirations. The NGO Portal is a long-term strategic initiative. The Portal will continue to attract a diverse audience with its publicly available archive of publications.
Results:
The aim of this initiative was to help tackle one of the key reasons behind the growing public distrust in the EU – the low level of trust in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that defend fundamental European values and rights. We did this by maintaining and further developing the NGO Information Portal in Bulgaria (https://ngobg.info). The Portal shares information about NGOs, submitted by NGOs themselves, created by our team, and by external sources. The focus is on the values NGOs stand for and the tangible public benefits of their work.
To achieve this, within our initiative we applied several approaches to raise citizens’ awareness of the role NGOs play in society and in safeguarding European rights and values:
1. Bringing EU rights and values closer to people.
We prepared easy-to-understand presentations of the six chapters of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and promoted them through original visuals (https://bit.ly/харта). We also enriched the Portal’s Library (https://www.ngobg.info/bg/documents.html) with 70 new EU-related resources.
2. Showing how NGOs put European values into practice.
We created 10 professional journalistic features about NGOs working to protect and apply key EU rights (https://bit.ly/разказиProEUValues).
3. Highlighting how the EU works in everyday life.
We shared 5 online quizzes from European sources with facts about the EU – for example, how the EU impacts our daily lives (https://bit.ly/викторини). We also published 10 original articles on current and engaging topics and initiatives, such as the European Audience Film Award LUX (https://bit.ly/европа_и_ние).
4. Providing clear and reliable information about NGOs’ contributions in all spheres of social development.
We enriched the Portal with diverse articles and visuals that show the real face and impact of NGOs, helping to challenge common prejudices about their role, activities, and goals. In total, we published over 2,000 NGO materials and referenced more than 1,000 external sources. We also promoted nearly 100 publications showcasing the work and results of colleagues funded through the “Action” fund.
The initiative in numbers:
· 2,000+ NGO materials published
· 1,000+ external sources referenced
· 100 publications promoted from peers funded by the “Action” fund
· 300,000 people reached
· 1,000,000 visits to the Portal
Inc. №: EUV/89
Organization: Devetaki Plateau Association
Place: Letnica
Web page: www.devetakiplateau.org
Name of the initiative: ACADEMO – Democratic Communities Academy
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 39 953.80 (EUR)
Resume:
Over the last few years, the democratic development of Bulgaria has been questioned and has lost its public support. The studies carried out as well as the outcomes of the last parliamentary elections point to increasingly low citizen participation and decline in confidence in democracy and European values. Large groups of citizens, in particular in small settlements, remain isolated from the public life and vulnerable to disinformation and propaganda. The current initiative draws on the experience and practical skills of Devetaki Plateau Association (DPA) for using democratic approaches for the economic and social development of the villages in the Devetaki Plateau. The model of a community made up of nine villages in three municipalities, united by a common goal and working together with local authorities, will be disseminated and upgraded in 11 more settlements whose representatives, NGOs and active citizen groups, show willingness to learn and apply innovative approaches to citizen participation and local development. Training sessions are planned as well as the application in practice of the acquired skills on site in 11 municipalities from different regions of the country. The goal is to raise awareness of the rights and opportunities that democracy offers to citizens, recognize citizen participation as a value and a right as well as appreciate the role of collaboration and association for the development of small settlements. The initiative also envisages a large-scale media and information campaign that also includes the activity called Active Citizens in Villages, sharing “first-hand” success stories about the mobilization of small communities and their achievements. The overall media campaign is targeted at propaganda and populism to which people living in small settlements, far from the big urban centres are particularly vulnerable. The campaign will use the various channels of DPA and its partners and the national Darik Radio will be the main media partner. In this way the messages under the initiative will go beyond the limits of the specific partners and participants and will reach like-minded, active and thinking people across the country.
Results:
Although rather ambitious, the ACADEMO initiative of the Devetaki Plateau Association (DPA) was successful and achieved a series of results. Initially, the objective was to empower the citizen organizations in the rural areas by building their capacity. However, the results have gone beyond. The initiative not only impacted existing organizations – Art Initiatives Foundation, Association for the European development of Ledenik, “Dobrozhantsy” association, “For Medven”, “Orlitsa” foundation “Marikostinovo” association. The example of DPA fostered the establishment of new local organizations: “Marishki Izvor” association in the village of Raduil, and 2 cultural centres – in the villages of Boboratsi and Musina. Two other informal citizen groups have also been established – in the villages of Erkech and Govezhda, and they already plan and implement their activities together with the local authorities.
DPA has shared with all these communities various approaches for facilitating participatory processes for the establishment of local communities and common vision for development, for example: community forum, future search conference, world café, structured public discussions, mobilization of volunteering teams, etc. The participants could select among the approaches and each of them applied the most appropriate model in their village. These innovative processes stimulated citizen debates and generated common ideas for local development. The participants have addressed numerous recommendations and proposals to the local authorities and declared their active participation and partnership.
Over 450 representatives of 19 villages in 12 municipalities have taken part in the initiative: Lovech, Letnitsa, Sevlievo, Veliko Tarnovo, Pomorie, Dobrich, Georgi Damyanovo, Radomir, Kotel, Petrich, Pavlikeni, and Samokov.
In addition, a broad media campaign contributed to the promotion of the initiatives and the success of the villages among the vast audience of the Darik Radio – with 13 interviews broadcasted nationwide. The book “The Rooster Waking Up the People” containing the stories of these rural organizations and communities has been spread both on paper and digitally among a number of interested active people and among the municipalities throughout the country.
Inc. №: EUV/189
Organization: Retina Bulgaria Association
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.retinabulgaria.bg
Partners: Bulgarian Huntington Association, Foundation for Local Government Reform
Name of the initiative: Action for RARE
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 56 810.58 (EUR)
Resume:
The issue that the initiative aims at solving is the poor steps taken by the state to introduce the policies of the European Union in the field of healthcare and poor cooperation with civil society organizations in this field. Some of the policies our state is exceptionally lagging behind to introduce are related to people suffering from rare diseases. There are several main political initiatives and pan-European actions from the present and future agenda of the European institutions that address the needs of 30 million people in Europe with rare diseases, 450 000 of whom live in Bulgaria, and require informed and active Bulgarian participation and appointments by the state in managing and advisory bodies. The lack of such participation poses a threat to the European values of equality and solidarity adopted by Bulgaria and is a premise for turning 6% of Bulgarian citizens living with about 6 000 to 8 000 rare diseases into victims of discrimination, having their right to health protection violated. The initiative aims at achieving informed citizen participation in the democratic process of policy making and upholding. In the short term, the initiative will boost the capacity of a network of civil society organizations of people with rare diseases and will support the drafting of a manifest with political proposals; the initiative will also attract collaboration and partnerships with civil society organizations and institutions from the public and private sector to support the manifest. The proposals will be promoted through an information campaign. The initiative will contribute to engaging responsible politicians and candidates for members of the European Parliament in the integration of the proposals from the manifest in their political programmes and building collaboration for their consistent implementation in the long run. Partnership with organizations with expertise in the field of rare diseases and with a developed model of relations with the stakeholders is key for the efficient implementation of the initiative. The Bulgarian Huntington Association will contribute with its extensive experience in empowerment of people with rare diseases and the Foundation for Local Government Reform will support the initiative with its expertise in civic participation and initiatives jointly implemented with Retina Bulgaria in the field of making healthcare policies, introducing legislative amendments for people with rare diseases, in particular.
Results:
The “Action for the Rare” initiative, implemented by Retina Bulgaria and its partners, aimed to strengthen the network of organizations supporting people with rare diseases and to ensure their active participation in democratic processes. Through training and the creation of a manifesto, the efforts of various civil society organizations were unified, resulting in concrete policy proposals. Partnerships were established with media, patient organizations, institutions, and representatives of the private sector, while meetings and correspondence secured specific commitments from politicians at both national and European levels. A public campaign including a website, videos, and a press conference further enhanced visibility and public support. The outcome is a stronger network, increased awareness, and a solid foundation for lasting political cooperation in favor of people with rare diseases.
Inc. №: EUV/94
Organization: Centre for Liberal Strategies Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://cls-sofia.org/
Name of the initiative: Democracy board-game – how to engage young people politically
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 59 526.24 (EUR)
Resume:
Studies unanimously show that young people in Bulgaria are dissociated from politics: they vote rarely, have low interest and often choose more radical party alternatives. At the same time, they increasingly wish to organize their life in Bulgaria and they show growing optimism for their personal future. It is the readiness of the young to engage with democratic values and uphold the democratic practices that is key for the democratic future of the country. It can be seen from the political behaviour of the young that the school does not manage to educate them well in democratic values and promote civic culture. The media at the same time do not stand a big chance, as the media use of the young has been mainly diverted to such platforms as Instagram and Facebook, where their own circles of friends and influencers define the news flow and set it in motion in completely unexpected directions. The initiative offers a provocative approach that draws on a practice popular among young people, namely playing board games. Democracy will be tested as a play practice with the help of active young people. The goal will be to introduce democratic values, the fundamental logic of politics and the ways of practicing democracy in a board game. In particular, the board game will be based on democracy, the way it is practised in Bulgaria. Different groups of young people will be engaged in the overall process of creating the game but experts will be also actively involved to ensure the board game is accurate and complies with real democratic values and practices. The last step of the initiative will be to engage young people in playing for real the game of DEMOCRACY (the young authors of the game will decide on its title). Board gaming tournaments are planned to be held to determine a democratic champion. The board game DEMOCRACY can be also used at school as an interactive learning aid as part of the civic education curriculum.
Results:
The initiative “Board game Democracy or how young people can get politically involved” introduces an innovative approach: transforming the popular pastime of board games into a dynamic way of exploring politics. Our aim is to bring democratic values, the core principles of political life, and practical ways of engaging with democracy into an accessible and enjoyable format.
This is how “Magocracy” was created—a board game that turns democracy into a shared experience.
“Magocracy” can serve as an interactive teaching tool within civic education programs in schools. At the same time, it can be played simply for fun, while naturally drawing players into the values and practices of democracy. Through the game, participants engage in debates, practice the art of collective decision-making, and navigate the delicate balance between competition and cooperation.
Inc. №: EUV/99
Organization: Institute for Market Economics
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.ime.bg
Name of the initiative: Monitoring of the Free Market Competition Protection Activities of the CPC
Duration in months: 14
Contract Sum: 53 965.45 (EUR)
Resume:
Since the foundation of the European Union (EU), the competition policy contributes to safeguarding and promoting the economic prosperity of the Union. Strict law enforcement in the field of competition benefits European consumers and customers, citizens and companies, by allowing them to have choice on the market and take advantage of innovative products and services at affordable prices. The proposed initiative aspires to increase transparency and accountability in the work of the Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC). The initiative aims at contributing to greater awareness about the work of the CPC and the impact of its action or inaction on the economy in general, the economic sectors and household income. The obvious absence of a detailed and systematic attempt to trace the practice and approach to the application of the competition rules by the CPC has been an issue for years. The initiative aims to make a difference by introducing monitoring and analysis of the work of the CPC by experts with the Institute for Market Economics (IME). The transparency and accountability of the CPC will expand by providing detailed information and analysis of the CPC activity in a manner that is comprehensible to a broader circle of groups in society that are not specialists in competition law. The latter result will be achieved by monitoring the decisions and action of the CPC and by means of professional publications shedding light on the importance and role of the steps and decisions made by the CPC with regard to competition, market processes, prices and well-being. With close monitoring of the activity of the CPC and additional analyses, the initiative will raise public interest and civic participation in the process of competition protection. Policy-makers, business organizations, NGOs, journalists, local communities and citizens will be informed about the importance and impact of the work of the CPC. In the short term, the initiative will generate greater media and public interest in the work of the CPC by providing better awareness of its role, the arguments and consequences of its decisions on the economy. In the long run, the increased public pressure, supported by greater knowledge and accumulated analytical resources, will improve CPC practices related to enforcing the competition rules and preventing misuse of public funds. Increased public attention and interested groups will gradually act as a deterrent against inaction, slow or selective action in cases of great potential market impact. The initiative will contribute to better functioning of the market economy and to safeguarding the freedom of conducting a business in Bulgaria.
Results:
The initiative “Monitoring the Activities for the Protection of Free Competition by the CPC” aimed to promote transparency and accountability of public institutions by highlighting the role and importance of the Commission for Protection of Competition. Within the framework of the initiative, in-depth analyses were conducted on the Commission’s work under the Competition Protection Act, in the area of public procurement, and on judicial review of its decisions. These efforts were complemented by dozens of articles, media appearances, and a dedicated conference that brought together business representatives, experts, and civil society organizations. The IME team also carried out a series of individual interviews with stakeholders, which enriched the analyses with valuable practical insights. An important component of the project was the digital campaign “Fair Play”, carried out on social media, which reached more than thirty-three thousand people with educational videos and infographics explaining the meaning and benefits of free competition. The initiative successfully achieved its goal – to raise public awareness and encourage greater attention to the transparency and accountability of the regulator. The results, analyses, and materials remain publicly accessible, while the expert knowledge and contacts developed through the project ensure the sustainability of its impact beyond its completion
Inc. №: EUV/110
Organization: Info space Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://www.mediapool.bg/
Name of the initiative: Government in the Sunshine: Monitoring reforms in support of EU rights and values
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 54 000.00 (EUR)
Resume:
Bulgaria faces a real threat of creeping putinisation that could divert the country from its European perspective. The phenomenon is growing against the backdrop of the unprecedented situation of war waged in the upper echelons of the state and in the underworld, which is a logical consequence of the erosion of the rule of law, as confirmed in the 2022 report of the European Commission at https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2022-rule-law-report-communication-and-country-chapters_en. However, there is a chance that the way out of the crisis will be to reshuffle the state based on European rights and values. The latter depends to a great extent on the successful implementation of extensive reforms under the Recovery and Resilience Plan that will guarantee the rule of law and the modernization of the country. It is imperative in such turbulent times that the citizens are reliably informed and do not fall an easy prey to manipulation, disinformation and conspiracy theories that the actors pursing an anti-European and pro-Putin politics rely on. The lack of real transparency and accountability of the institutions has exacerbated over the last 2 years due to the failure to have a permanent Parliament that would control efficiently the executive power, in a situation of serious geopolitical challenges at that. The initiative aims at raising the awareness of citizens and the accountability of the public administration through targeted materials shedding light on key public policies related to the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan that consists of 56 investments and 47 reforms. The main output will be in-depth factual materials and investigations. The situation will be monitored for hidden mechanisms, dependencies, delays or abuses. The initiative will place an important emphasis on fighting corruption, the reform of the judiciary and planned constitutional changes. The approach combines efficient monitoring of policies and expert evaluation of the impact of the policy implementation. The latter will ensure greater transparency of power, a comprehensible understanding of complex processes and a ground for an informed debate; it will also help recover trust and the democratic character of the institutions, which is also particularly important for the successful implementation of reforms. The initiative will also address the issue of controlled information, providing trustworthy content. The informal partner of the initiative is the Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives, that will help with legal expertise in the area of judicial reforms and policies targeted at more transparent governance and thus the impact of the efforts of both organizations will multiply.
Results:
The main immediate output of the initiative consists of 32 publications on Mediapool.bg website (as well as its social media channels). As a result of continuous monitoring of key national and regional institutions, a series of in-depth analytical reports and investigations were prepared and published. These articles tracked decision-making processes and their implementation, political debates, violations, deficiencies, delays, or abuses in key areas of public interest.
The thematic scope covered policies and reforms outlined in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, along with fundamental issues related to the rule of law—justice, judicial reform, corruption, and human rights.
The high level of reader engagement (a total of 333,600 article views, with an average of more than 10,400 views per publication – many times more than the initial targets) contributed to increasing public awareness and understanding of processes, causalities and interests, as well as of policies and practices in public life and the progress of the reforms under the Recovery Plan. It also raised public awareness, strengthened critical thinking and promoted genuine public debate. As a result, the initiative enhanced transparency and accountability in public governance. Many of the publications had a direct positive impact on relevant public policies. They were republished or cited dozens of times by other media, creating a multiplier effect.
Inc. №: EUV/156
Organization: National Network for Children
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.nmd.bg
Name of the initiative: Democracy but with children’s rights!
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 52 160.53 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims at promoting informed public debate and civic participation in child policies and child’s rights as part of human rights. Democratic processes have been threatened over the last years and the topic of children and parenting has been used for propaganda and disinformation in order to repeal key legislative acts about the child protection by playing on parents’ fears. The influence of the far-right, anti-European and anti-democratic circles is growing and children are used as a main communication target of propaganda. Bulgaria still has no Strategy for the Child at odds with national legislation. The child protection system, the children’s hotline 116111, NGOs and individual children’s rights activists have been subject to criticism. Child care is getting worse. This initiative will support with communication not only 130 civil society organizations and individuals from the National Network for Children (NNC) but will also set up a network of more than 40 children’s rights activists who will mobilise the informed public debate of child policies. The developed resource will be able to hold public debates and discussions on particular information occasions about children and families, with emphasis on the child’s rights, support for families and democratic values. The initiative envisages monitoring child policies through the monitoring report Mark Book – What is the average academic performance of the state with regard to child care, which will be developed with the involvement of more than 200 experts, parents and children. The Mark Book will be presented in at least 5 places in the country. The initiative envisages to draft at least 40 opinions, open letters and positions about child policies, organize an information campaign and reach more than 1 million citizens in the social media and the NNC website during the overall period of project implementation. In the long run the initiative aims to integrate the topic of children and their rights as an indelible part of democratic processes in the country and all child policies.
Results:
The initiative “Democracy, with Children’s Rights!” by the National Network for Children aimed to place children’s rights at the center of public debate and to build sustainable mechanisms for advocacy and countering disinformation. Its main tool was the “Report Card 2024” monitoring report, developed with the participation of more than 40 experts and 130 organizations, and presented in seven cities across the country. Through surveys and public discussions, more than 3,200 children and adults contributed, and the document is already being used as a basis for positions and statements submitted to institutions.
To reach a wider audience, three videos and additional clips were produced, which reached over one million people on social media. In this way, the initiative created visibility and sparked public debate on key issues concerning children.
An important part of the initiative was the fight against disinformation – an environmental analysis was prepared, a training with 40 activists was conducted, and a Handbook for Countering Fake News was developed.
As a result, the initiative achieved not only significant public outreach but also sustainability – effective networks of experts, organizations, and activists were established, and the “Report Card” has been consolidated as a key tool for monitoring and advocacy in children’s policies.
Thematic area “Diversity and equality”
Inc. №: EUV/154
Organization: Amalipe Center
Place: Veliko Tarnovo
Web page: www.amalipe.bg
Name of the initiative: Human Rights: educate, inspire, change!
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 59 968.15 (EUR)
Resume:
The Eurobarometer study showed that the Roma are the group considered to be the most discriminated (61%), followed by ethnic minorities and groups of people with a different skin colour (59%).The study of the Open Society Institute – Sofia about the social distance towards various minorities in Bulgaria showed that the Roma are the most segregated minority and the most unwilling minority to come into contact with. The period 2007-2013 showed improved attitudes towards the Roma, however, ever since 2013 the attitudes have sharply deteriorated. Schools and other education establishments are among the key centres of social and political life. School students and their parents often face challenges due to stereotypes, prejudice, hate speech and hate crimes. The issues above most often arise in the environment in which the Roma live but also happen in the classroom and at school. It is imperative for schools to become “a space of tolerance”, which guarantees that all students, parents and teachers will exercise freely their rights and will be free from hatred. It is just as important to engage the school community with tolerance campaigns and actions and overcoming of discrimination in society, in particular discrimination against the Roma and other vulnerable groups. This initiative aims at encouraging education institutions to be actively engaged in the fight against stereotypes, prejudice, hate crimes and hate speech, and encouraging active young people and the organized local communities to have the potential to be agents of a positive change, contributing to reporting and responding to all forms of hate speech and hate crimes. The initiative also aims at setting up a collaboration mechanism between the main institutions responsible for prevention and protection from discrimination (such as the Ombudsman, the anti-discrimination commissions, etc.) and organized local communities including active youth groups, parents’ committees, informal leaders, mediators, etc. The initiative also aims at achieving impact on national level among large groups in society in the districts of Plovdiv, Pazardjik, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Shumen, Vratsa and Montana. A broad range of students, teachers, parents and experts will be reached, including people from vulnerable Roma communities and underdeveloped regions, to boost their knowledge, interest in human rights and motivation to join campaigns and actions for tolerance and anti-discrimination.
Results:
The initiative “Human Rights: Educate, Inspire, Change!”, implemented by the Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance “Amalipe”, successfully achieved its goal of turning educational institutions, young people, and local communities into active participants in the fight against hate speech, discrimination, and hate crimes. The initiative consisted of five interrelated activities, reaching over 2,000 direct participants and tens of thousands of indirect beneficiaries.
Through the Human Rights Academy, more than 200 students, parents, teachers, and institutional representatives were trained. The peer-to-peer education method was successfully applied in over 60 trainings and campaigns, engaging 1,003 students, 548 teachers, and 500 parents. Nineteen youth tolerance clubs were established; they documented and reported over 80 cases of hate speech, and organized campaigns and video initiatives that reached over 50,000 people.
In each of the seven pilot regions, intersectoral cooperation teams were formed, bringing together key institutions (mainly led by the Regional Education Directorates, Commission for Protection against Discrimination, and the Prosecutor’s Office). These teams organized follow-up trainings for 316 experts and field workers. A sustainable model of cooperation between institutions and local communities for addressing discrimination was created.
The final advocacy conference gathered over 140 participants, including politicians, diplomats, experts, and students. It generated strong political messages and clear institutional support for the continuation and scaling of the model. The “Bridges Instead of Walls” student contest and its award ceremony in the National Assembly engaged both students across the country and politicians in addressing prejudice and promoting tolerance.
The initiative delivered tangible results, built lasting partnerships, and empowered young people ready to act as agents of change in their communities.
Inc. №: EUV/164
Organization: LGBT Youth Organization Deystvie
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.deystvie.org
Name of the initiative: LGBTI Rights in Action
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 43 336.00 (EUR)
Resume:
Bulgaria is ranked at the bottom in Europe with regard to protection of the rights of the LGBTI community. Discrimination in Bulgaria is institutionalized and the Penal Code does not recognize LGBTI hate crimes. The lack of political will to address the issue results not only in widespread homophobia and transphobia but also in politically incited hate speech, which has led to a growing number of hate crimes against the LGBTI community over the last year. The latter issue has led to the shutting off of the LGBTI community and internalized homophobia, failure to report out of fear of secondary discrimination and the respective self-isolation of dozens of LGBTI members from the social life. The initiative aims at maintaining National LGBTI Legal Action Programme and creating conditions for policy-making through analysis of the legal framework and training of university students. 300 legal consultations will be provided to the affected people. Over 5 000 people will be informed though the Rights Forum and via the information campaign of the initiative that will reach more than 20 000 people. The initiative will contribute to the overcoming of the issue by providing direct access of the LGBTI community to legal protection and by analysing the case law. Filing lawsuits leads to an official national statistical data and official recognition of the existing issue, which in turn will contribute to amendments to the legislation and to improving the life of the LGBTI people in Bulgaria.
Results:
The initiative “LGBTI Rights in Action” aimed to strengthen democracy and the rule of law by fostering dialogue across different sectors of society and increasing public awareness of pressing human rights issues in Bulgaria and Europe.
The flagship event of the initiative was the Human Rights Forum, which brought together representatives from business, civil society, and both the executive and legislative branches of government. The Forum established itself as a platform for building a network of human rights defenders, created to promote mutual support and raise public sensitivity to rights violations. It gathered 129 participants in person, while media coverage and social media outreach expanded the audience to more than 50,000 people.
Over the course of the project, 148 social media posts addressed discrimination and hate crimes, generating 126,400 interactions. In addition, 12 short videos on LGBTIQ+ rights were produced and disseminated, alongside 10 articles published in national media.
A key outcome was the development and launch of the report “The Rightlessness and Dehumanization of LGBTIQ+ People in Bulgaria”, available online on the organization’s website.
The educational dimension of the project included three training sessions for law students on “LGBTI Rights in the Practice of the ECtHR and CJEU”, attended by 106 students.
In terms of legal support, the initiative delivered more than 350 hours of individual consultations, assisting 97 individuals and 4 legal entities affected by discrimination, hate crimes, harassment, or persecution under the Anti-Discrimination Act.
Supported initiatives under the “Together” fund
Thematic area “EU rights”
Inc. №: EUV/195
Organization: Youth priorities Association
Partner: Nikola Jonkov Vaptzarov Secondary School
Place: Benkovski
Web page: https://sou-vapcarov.org
Name of the initiative: Strengthening EU values in our community at Benkovski village
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 4989.41 (EUR)
Resume: The problem the initiative aims to solve is the lack of knowledge among young people and the community in Benkovski village and the surrounding 12 villages about the rights and values of European citizens. Knowledge of EU values will contribute to greater tolerance and peaceful coexistence of the different ethnic and religious groups in the area. On the other hand, it will help to stimulate a more active citizenship of people in the community. The initiative will involve 180 young people aged between 15 and 29, teachers and journalists, as well as the whole community of the municipalities of Kirkovo and Zlatograd. The activities foreseen include a survey on the needs and knowledge gaps of young people on EU rights and values, quizzes with thematic questions (EU Trivia games), presentation of real-life case studies highlighting EU values in action, creation of a compendium and a network of ambassadors.
Results: The following results were achieved by implementing the initiative:
GAP Analysis was performed – the needs and gaps in young people’s knowledge of EU rights and values were studied, the methods and approaches that would be most interesting and effective for them to acquire this knowledge, plus an open question for proposals for volunteer actions in the local community to put their acquired knowledge into practice.
Twenty research projects were carried out – with the assistance of the trainers, the participants prepared presentations on given topics related to the activity. They presented their presentations to the other participants and prepared questions for the next sub-activity.
Five presentations and EU Trivia games with thematic questions prepared by the participants were held. Each participant prepared at least 10 questions from their presentation from the previous activity and conducted a quiz. The participants who prepared presentations and those who answered the questions correctly received prizes – vouchers for the Orange Center bookstore.
Five Real Case Studies were conducted – real-life cases were presented, showing the values of the EU in action. Examples from the Handbook “EU Citizenship: Rights and Opportunities” were also used to conduct the activity. The participants were divided into groups. They were given cases to solve using the knowledge they had gained from previous activities in the initiative and with the right to use reliable sources of information on the Internet.
A compendium entitled “EU Rights and Values – Innovative Training Activities for Young People” was created, containing 22 innovative training activities that introduce the rights and values of the EU in an interesting and interactive way, along with opportunities and mechanisms for young people to participate in the formation and implementation of European policies. The collection was presented and some of the activities were tested at the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Secondary School in the village of Benkovski and Antim I Secondary School in the town of Zlatograd. It was made available for use by all secondary schools in the municipalities of Zlatograd and Kirkovo, with an invitation to participate in networking activities with the school in the village of Benkovski.
The compendium is uploaded and presented for free use at the organization web-page – https://youth-priorities.eu/отворени-обучителни-ресурси-оор/
Inc. №: EUV/231
Organization: Alliance for sustainable regional development
Place: Ruse
Web page: https://srd4bg.org
Name of the initiative: Working for Europe /Evrodeetz/
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 9384.44 (EUR)
Resume: Insufficient knowledge in the field of civic education (CE) and low levels of civic participation among young people are among the biggest political, social and economic challenges in Bulgaria, an EU member state, often associated with low levels of voter turnout and civic engagement, lack of media freedom, high levels of corruption and low trust in institutions. The aim of the initiative is to help strengthen European democratic values through the promotion of civil society with a focus on the EU and freedom of information. Efforts will focus on promoting critical thinking, combating misinformation and the spread of fake news, which is becoming an increasingly significant and multi-layered societal problem. The initiative foresees the production of a digital “Compass of Civil Rights in the EU”; the preparation, filming and dissemination of an educational video series of 7 videos on different topics related to civil society; the organization and delivery of youth informal training sessions and “Working for Europe” competition”.
Results: The initiative brought together four main activities with the aim of inspiring young people to actively participate in the democratic process and familiarizing them with civil rights in the EU:
Digital compass for civil rights in the EU – https://srd4bg.org/evrodeets
The development of the digital compass is a key part of the initiative and provides valuable information on the rights of EU citizens. By the end of the initiative, the compass had been downloaded over 500 times from the ASRD website. The compass was also distributed to all educational and interested institutions in the region. This demonstrates the high level of interest and the need for easy access to information on EU citizens’ rights.
Video sequence EvroDeez – https://www.youtube.com/@srd4bg
The preparation and distribution of a 7-episode educational video series recorded a total of 33,762 views as of February 28, 2025, demonstrating the enormous interest of the youth audience. Distribution is carried out through various social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Statistics show:
- Instagram: 14 268 views
- Facebook: 9 668 views
- TikTok: 7 970 views
- YouTube: 1 115 views
- LinkedIn: 741 views
Five informal youth training sessions were organized to familiarize young people with their civil rights and encourage them to actively participate in discussions on important socio-political issues. Over 100 young people participated in the sessions, 70 of whom were women and 30 men, and 10 of the participants were teachers and lecturers. These sessions stimulated young people’s activity and created a space for open discussion and exchange of ideas on civil rights in the EU.
In the concluding phase a competition for young people “EvroDeez” was organized as a platform on which the young participants shared their unique views on the stories of citizens or civic organizations that have contributed to the positive change in our communities. Album of all participating projects in the photo and video competition „EVRODEEZ” –
https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=srd4bg&set=a.592359270353280
Seventeen projects implemented by 20 young people from all over Bulgaria are competing for recognition of their contribution to building a stronger and more engaged civil society. The participants’ projects received enormous interest on social media, garnering over 1,300 likes, 170 shares, and hundreds of comments. The competition reached over 250,000 people through the active dissemination of the initiatives on social media platforms.
Project website: https://srd4bg.org/evrodeets
Links to social media channels of ASRD:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/srd4bg
https://www.instagram.com/srd4bg
https://www.facebook.com/srd4bg
YouTube channel with the 7 episodes of the video series – https://www.youtube.com/@srd4bg
Album of all participating projects in the photo and video competition „EVRODEEZ“ –
https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=srd4bg&set=a.592359270353280
Inc. №: EUV/191
Organization: Community Center Ljuben Karavelov-1897
Place: Kurtovo Konare
Web page: http://chitalishtekkonare.com
Name of the initiative: Our Europe
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 17993.12 (EUR)
Resume: On a national scale, there is a decline in trust in democracy and European values and a decreasing civic engagement, which is evident from various opinion polls. In small communities, Euro-skepticism is felt both in personal conversations and on social networks. These communities are increasingly capsulated and susceptible to manipulation, misinformation and propaganda. Through the “Our Europe” initiative, a series of activities will be implemented, mainly in Kurtovo Konare, but also in several neighboring villages (Krichim, Perushchitsa, Joakim Gruevo, Trivoditsi), to raise awareness among 3,500 people about the values and objectives of the EU, as well as the rights of EU citizens. The initiative foresees two large-scale campaigns – information campaign “Our Europe – My Rights” and communication campaign “Our Europe”, which include thematic meetings-discussions, drawing and video competitions, Euro-rock concert with messages during Kurtovo Konare Fest. Partnerships will be established with five civil society organizations from neighboring localities, leading experts in the field of European policies, local experts and educational specialists.
Results: The activities included:
1. A survey to study the attitudes of the local community towards the EU – 150 people of different ages were covered.
2. An information campaign – 6 events in 5 settlements – Kurtovo Konare, Perushtitsa, Krichim, Yoakim Gruevo, and Trivoditsi. With the help of the EC Representation in Bulgaria, we obtained materials that we distributed in the above-mentioned towns during major community events.
3. Conducting the “Our Europe” communication campaign.
Ten meetings were held with various groups: community centers in the area, children and students, teachers from the local school, farmers, young people and active citizens, and guests of the Kurtovo Konare Fest. As part of this activity, two competitions were also organized – for drawing and for making video clips—in which students in two age groups from five towns took part. The festivities included also a Euro-rock concert during the Kurtovo Konare Fest with messages from musicians (Vasil Gyurov-Revue, Vladi Mihaylov, and others).
4. Celebration of Europe Day – with a big concert in the square, showcasing the music and dances of Europe. The participants in the competitions were awarded prizes, a debate was held with guests from the Romanian Academy of Sciences, and a video messages from Brussels was presented.
5. The initiative was actively promoted and support for it was amalgamated through publications in the media, with many promotional souvenirs, and with a film about what had been achieved.
As a result, a total of 3,356 people from six settlements were reached: Kurtovo Konare, Perushtitsa, Krichim, Yoakim Gruevo, Novo Selo, and Trivoditsi.
The knowledge of 306 people about EU rights and values, opportunities for work, education, funding, participation in civic initiatives, fake news about the EU, etc. was increased during 10 training sessions and meetings.
As a result of the initiative 55 publications about it are distributed through various channels and external media.
Short film about the results and video messages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_Kl61E2yc0&t=23s
Inc. №: EUV/226
Organization: Gavrosh Association
Place: Varna
Web page: www.gavroche-bg.org
Name of the initiative: More active and more invulnerable
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 15076.16 (EUR)
Resume: Users of social services are often excluded from public life. They are not independent and do not actively participate in the processes that affect them because they do not know their rights well and do not know how to assert them, which puts them at risk of discrimination and abuse. Consumers, and the professionals who care for them, need training and counselling on the application of human rights and EU values, opportunities for participation in processes and decision-making. Citizens, on the other hand, who tend to be supportive, need information on the types of social services and training on how to support vulnerable people, know and protect their rights and be more active in the community, especially in small settlements. Social services teams also need skills on how to involve more volunteers and widen the circle of support, including through advocacy with local institutions. The initiative includes trainings and consultations for more than 20 professionals from more than 5 social services providers in the regions of Varna and Dobrich, including from small settlements such as Suvorovo and Krushari villages and 15 volunteers and 6 local institutions. The activities will increase the quality of social services in the long term by developing skills in the teams, empowering and accepting users as active participants, advocating to the institutions and turning citizens into ambassadors to expand the supportive environment.
Results: The initiative was aimed at users and employees of 11 social services for people with disabilities in Varna and smaller towns in the region, as well as citizens and institutions. The knowledge and attitudes regarding human rights and EU values among over 90 users, social service employees, and citizens were studied. Five training sessions were conducted on human rights, EU values, discrimination, advocacy, and disinformation: The volunteers improved their skills in recognizing the vulnerability of different groups in society, learned more about the types of social services, the needs and characteristics of users, and are now better prepared to support them in protecting their rights.
Twenty-two specialists from 11 social institutions improved their knowledge of EU rights and values, expanded their skills in working with users through human rights and active participation, and are now better prepared to involve citizens and institutions in supporting them.
Sixteen persons with disabilities learned more about their human rights, gained a better understanding of the concepts of “human dignity,” “freedom,” and “rights,” and learned to recognize discrimination. They are encouraged to express their opinions and are more willing to participate in processes that affect them.
One hundred supervisions and consultations were provided to over 60 specialists from nine social services in the region, aimed at understanding human rights, values, and the inclusion of users and civil society. Through 5 visits to social services and 6 meetings with representatives of institutions, the skills of vulnerable people for active participation have been improved, as well as those of citizens and specialists to support and advocate for them.
The results of the initiative reached the general public through over 50 publications and 10 regional events organized by volunteers, social services, and the Gavroche Association.
“It turns out that we don’t know much about human rights. As active members of society, we have free access to them, but we often don’t realize that there are vulnerable groups around us who, for one reason or another, are deprived of the rights that belong to all of us and are thus excluded from society. We can help by becoming advocates and giving people from vulnerable groups the opportunity to be heard and supported by other members of society.“
http://www.gavroche-bg.org/bg/news-view/256.html
http://www.gavroche-bg.org/bg/news-view/260.htmlhttp://www.gavroche-bg.org/bg/news-view/269.html
Inc. №: EUV/213
Organization: Horizons Association
Place: Burgas
Name of the initiative: Information literacy – a safe weapon against misinformation
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18982.87 (EUR)
Resume: Every day nearly 2 million Bulgarians are manipulated by false information. Information about values such as freedom, equality and citizens’ rights is deliberately pushed to the periphery. Disinformation dominates social networks, and journalists and other news disseminators are increasingly taking advantage of it. This initiative will bring to the fore the responsibility of those who offer information and, through properly targeted training, help them to navigate the huge information flow. The Information Literacy Month will create skills to identify fake news. Beginner journalists from regional media outlets, journalism students, influencers and staff at regional press centers will be provided with fact-checking tools. Activities also include a roundtable discussion on “Media freedom and pluralism”. The negative effects of disinformation about the EU in the region will be illustrated with printed and electronic brochures “The European Union and Bulgaria” and “Trust those who are accountable”, as well as a video “How Disinformation Works” which will show concrete victims of disinformation.
Results: The initiative managed to highlight the responsibility of people who disseminate information, convincing them that misinformation is not an alternative viewpoint, but a deliberate distortion of the truth, and should not be used to attract the attention of readers, viewers, or listeners. The main focus was primarily on journalists, press office employees, PR specialists, influencers, and bloggers.
As part of the initiative, a study on fake news and misinformation in the online space was conducted. An online survey was published and open for a month on 3 news websites. The survey was filled in by over 200 people. The results showed whom people trust the most on the web. The results of the two studies were published online.
A printed and electronic brochure entitled ‘The European Union and Bulgaria. Trust Those Who Are Accountable’ was created and distributed, containing a set of tools and actions by the European Commission to address the spread and negative impact of disinformation.
The documentary film “Truth and Lies: How Disinformation Works” presented specific individuals, organizations, and projects from the Burgas region that became victims of disinformation and prompted viewers to reconsider their attitude towards the information they believe. The film was broadcasted twice on regional television, was showcased at all events of the initiative, and was published online:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/n4GJeDyXLyLAzLmj/,https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b01q2ZmUZ1wrFcrinovuzHF-N6FjR81y/view?usp=drive_link, https://youtu.be/yeI1AbTI7M0.
Between January 28 and February 28, 2025, four events were held as part of Media Literacy Month. A webinar on the topic “Social Media – a Platform for Communication or a Reliable Source of News” was attended by 38 novice journalists, journalism and PR students. Sixteen students took part in a hackathon to map fake news about the EU circulated by local sources. A two-day practical training “How to Recognize Fake Information” brought together experts from the Burgas region who play a key role in combating fake news – journalists, communication specialists, and digital security experts. The round table “Media Freedom and Pluralism” generated extremely high interest. The ‘Negative Effects of Disinformation about the EU in the Region’ initiative, which brought together local media to combat fake news undermining trust in the values of the European Union and the rule of law. It included 20 representatives from local media – websites, television, radio, newspapers, correspondent offices, as well as politicians and representatives of local and state authorities. The participants in the round table signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, agreeing to participate in joint campaigns aimed at strengthening media literacy among citizens in the Burgas region, focusing on the citizens’ ability to distinguish real from fake content, and, in partnership with local and state authorities, regulators, media operators, and civil society organizations, to counter all kinds of fake news and misinformation about the EU.
Four press releases were prepared and distributed. Each initiative received broad coverage in local and national media:
https://utroruse.com/article/1084659/,
Inc. №: EUV/214
Organization: Community Foundation Stara Zagora
Place: Stara Zagora
Web page: www.fund-sz.org
Name of the initiative: Increased understanding of EU values and rights among young people
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19990.00 (EUR)
Resume: According to a 2022 study by the Open Society Institute, the overall decline in trust in the EU is due to the younger generations. This is a worrying trend that demonstrates that there is an emerging euroscepticism that is not based in the past. Although EU programs provide ample opportunities for young people to participate in youth exchanges and various initiatives, many fail to develop a sense of European belonging and sympathize with parties that call for leaving the Union. Often young people have little knowledge or understanding of EU rights and values. Greater understanding of EU rights and values will help to build public support for these values and create a more sustainable basis for European integration. In addition to young people, the project will also benefit educational institutions, NGOs, and society at large. Increasing young people’s awareness and engagement will help shape responsible European citizenship. The initiative combines research activities and active participation in educational events, creation of interactive content (maps) and quizzes and debates on understanding EU rights and values, participation in broadcasts and communication with the media on the subject.
Results: The initiative was carried out during the period 30.11.2024 – 30.04.2025. Its main goal was to engage young people (aged 15–29) with topics related to European values and rights through interactive and educational activities. Within the framework of the initiative:
• An online survey was conducted, in which 353 young people from various locations in Bulgaria participated. The data were summarized in an analysis with recommendations and publicly presented on 10.12.2024 in Stara Zagora.
• With the help of students and teachers, three types of educational cards were developed: basic cards with questions and challenges on the EU topic, informational cards about the Union’s values, as well as a special edition in English dedicated to children’s rights. A total of 43 young people were involved in this process.
• Five quizzes on topics related to the values of the European Union were organized, with a total of 80 students from different schools participating.
• Two public debates were held (with a total of 79 young participants), in partnership with the Debate Club, the “Philosophical Workshop,” and other local organizations. The topics included emphasized the relationship between national and European identity and equality as universal democratic value.
• The online presence of the Foundation was improved thanks to the newly developed web-site and active communications in the social networks, including over 35 publications that reached the wide audience.
The initiative not only raised awareness on the topic among young people but also engaged them in actual content creation, encouraged critical thinking and dialogue, and strengthened partnerships between the foundation, schools, teachers, and youth organizations. The created resources remain accessible and will be used in future educational activities..
Publications:
- https://fund-sz.org/2025/03/07/uchenicheski-debat-po-povod-mezhdunarodniyat-den-na-zhenata/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/12/20/mladi-hora-debatiraha-v-bnr-stara-zagora/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/12/10/s-viktorina-otbelyazahme-svetovniyat-den-na-pravata-na-choveka/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/12/05/kakvo-znayat-mladite-za-pravata-i-czennostite-v-evropejskiya-sayuz-rezultati-ot-prouchvane-na-odf/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/11/24/mladezhi-sazdavat-obrazovatelni-karti-za-czennostite-na-es/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/11/04/ucheniczi-provedoha-kuiz-posveten-na-narodnite-buditeli/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/09/30/pozhar-v-efira-glasat-na-mladite/
- https://fund-sz.org/2024/07/22/pozhar-v-efira-dobrovolchestvoto/
https://fund-sz.org/2024/06/03/pozhar-v-efira-mladezhkoto-predavane/
Inc. №: EUV/215
Organization: Web shelf Foundation
Partner: Tutrakan voice Association
Place: Slivo Pole Municipality
Web page: https://webshelf.eu, http:/glas.tutrakan.org
Name of the initiative: Bulgarian citizens have European opportunities
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 17976.79 (EUR)
Resume: Not a few of the people from the small communities in the rural municipalities of Bulgaria do not understand how the EU functions, what are the values in this community and what rights and opportunities Bulgarian citizens have as part of it. These people are also the most susceptible to disinformation from social media. They do not have developed critical thinking and skills for finding reliable sources of information. The aim of the initiative is to support these small communities in informing them about EU rights and how people can find out what is disinformation. It is planned to reach about 18 000 people in the municipalities of Tutrakan and Slivo Pole, to implement 1 partnership with media, to publish 44 materials, to report 22 cases of disinformation on the web site of the Web Shelf Foundation, and to publish 11 of them in the newspaper Tutrakan voice. The results of the initiative will provide information about the sources of disinformation in small settlements, and the local opinion leaders – the community center employees, through training and joint work during the initiative, will form skills for a critical approach to disinformation in social media.
Results: The initiative aimed to support people from small communities in the municipalities of Tutrakan and Slivo Pole by informing them about the European Union—how it functions, what values are upheld in this large community, and what rights and opportunities Bulgarian citizens have as part of it—as well as to develop skills for a critical approach to misinformation on social media.
During the implementation of the initiative’s activities over 18,000 people from the municipalities of Tutrakan and Slivo Pole were reached. Many more all over the country were also reached through publications on the Facebook page and website of the Web Shelf Foundation. A partnership was also established with a regional media outlet – the newspaper ‘Tutrakan Voice’. A total of 48 materials were published, 23 cases of misinformation were reported on the Web Shelf Foundation’s website, and 12 of them were also published in the ‘Tutrakan Voice’ newspaper. Four lessons were developed and conducted in civic education classes, and community center workers from the two municipalities were trained on the topic of combating disinformation. The surveys and analyses under the initiative provide information on the sources of disinformation in small settlements.
https://webshelf.eu/shengen2-fctchk/
https://webshelf.eu/eu-citizenship/
https://webshelf.eu/community-analysis1/
https://webshelf.eu/handbook-disinfo/
Inc. №: EUV/212
Organization: Ex nihilo
Place: Sofia
Name of the initiative: What about you?
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 7126.20 (EUR)
Resume: The strength and spirit of common European human rights and values create a strong and healthy society, sensitive to any form of action against human dignity and individuality. At a time of heightened polar paradigms, misinformation and dignity-undermining practices, it is young people who can be missionaries of change and defenders of human rights and freedoms. The initiative consists in creating an educational product – by peers and for peers – to provoke reflection on the value of human rights, their protection and missionary work. Through a variety of case studies, dilemmas and simulation experiences, youth will gain valuable practical experience and skills to solve problems basic to our civilizational situation. The scope of the initiative extends the pilot project on the territory of the Capital Municipality. Through an inclusive mechanism, this educational product will be upgraded and made available free of charge to the educational system in Bulgaria for free use.
Results: Ex Nihilo implemented its initiative between March and December 2024. The beneficiaries of the activities were schools in Sofia, namely teachers and students. The main activity and result were focused on creating an educational product that gamifies the topics of our rights as EU citizens. Teams of students from five schools that applied for the initiative created case studies with possible solutions, which were organized and digitized into a unique branching story. The final digital algorithm was tested among the beneficiaries and their classmates, where over 700 students from five schools went through the training, and feedback was received from over 170 respondents.
The educational product is available here: https://h5p.org/node/1523964
Inc. №: EUV/204
Organization: National Association for Foster Care
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.napg.eu
Name of the initiative: The Right to European Foster Care as a Guarantee for the Rights of Children in Bulgaria
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18995.71 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative of the National Association for Foster Care is realized in a key year for child welfare policies, in which the state must commit to creating strategic documents regulating the main policies for children’s rights in the next 10 years, as well as to introduce legal changes in foster care, which is the only guarantee of the right of children at risk to grow up in a family environment. Against this background, the initiative will increase the knowledge of foster parents and foster care professionals about children’s rights and child welfare, encouraging them to be more active advocates for children’s rights, thanks to the trainings planned in 8 regions across the country. The main misinformation messages related to children’s rights and the role of foster carers in guaranteeing them will also be addressed through an information campaign. The study of European experiences in caring for children with different characteristics is key to understanding the approach to children’s rights and will serve both to generate training content and as a tool for better organizational advocacy of the National Association for Foster Care. Planned activities include trainings for foster parents and foster care professionals in 8 regional cities and an awareness raising campaign.
Results: Over the past year, the National Association for Foster Care has implemented a large-scale and inspiring initiative that has established European values in foster care in Bulgaria. The initiative had a significant impact through three main activities: a study of good European practices, training for foster parents and professionals, and an information campaign aimed at overcoming misinformation and encouraging public support. The study analyzed foster care models in Spain, France, and Greece, summarized in a report, a summary, and three presentations, which were actively used in subsequent activities. The training sessions in four cities—Vidin, Shumen, Haskovo, and Varna—reached 125 foster parents and 69 professionals. The training sessions created a space for sharing experiences and inspired participants to seek new approaches to supporting children.
The social media campaign achieved exceptional reach – over 1.3 million views, nearly 600,000 users reached, and 30,000 interactions. Videos on TikTok and Facebook posts featuring stories of famous people who grew up in foster care sparked a wave of empathy and support. The culmination was an online event with the participation of key experts and institutions, watched by over 9,000 people, which created an opportunity for real dialogue on changing the system, with the participation of some of the people who created and introduced the foster care model in Bulgaria – the first chair of the State Agency for Child Protection, during whose tenure foster care was launched, Eva Zhecheva, one of the authors of the first regulation and methodology for foster care, based on a previously experimental model applied at the regional level, Vera Kolesheva, and Dani Koleva, one of the first foster care supervisors.
For us, this initiative created lasting knowledge, inspiration, and community. It showed that foster care is not just an activity, but a mission with a face and a heart. The results far exceed what was initially planned and leave a lasting mark on people’s hearts.
Link to publication in BTA:
Inc. №: EUV/190
Organization: Institute of Mediation and Dispute Management
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.imeus.bg
Name of the initiative: Mediation in defense of human rights in cases of domestic violence
Duration in months: 9
Contract Sum: 19987.60 (EUR)
Resume: Mediation is an alternative method of conflict resolution, which from 01.07.2024 will be mandatory in a number of court cases in order to find a voluntary solution through the assistance of a mediator. Victims of domestic violence often do not have access to legal protection or are forced to participate in court proceedings that do not solve their problems. The number of cases of such violence is growing, with a 62% increase since the beginning of 2023 alone. The mediation procedure aims to provide effective protection of European and democratic values through a dialogue in which the mediator assists the parties to discuss the issues of concern. This is particularly appropriate in cases of domestic violence prior to the escalation of the abusive relationship and in the absence of sustained physical violence. Through this, families in crisis can find a quick and effective solution that also serves as a prevention of continued violence. The initiative will promote the established as effective means of mediation in domestic violence and propose concrete mechanisms for their application in Bulgaria. 60 mediators, lawyers, judges, teachers, journalists will be trained in the methods of handling and solving such cases through mediation. In parallel, public open days will be held to advise citizens on the positive effects of mediation as a way to protect human rights. In the long term, this will increase the capacity of professionals working with domestic violence cases, improve the services provided and increase the number of violence cases successfully resolved through mediation.
Results: IMDM Association successfully achieved the key objectives of the initiative by taking important steps to improve mediation in Bulgaria in cases of domestic violence. Here is what has been achieved:
- Consolidation of the mediators’ community.
As a result of the round table discussion on the project, we were able to unite mediators working in the field in support of a unified position for improving the regulatory framework for family mediation in Bulgaria by introducing specific screening mechanisms for manifestations of domestic violence. To learn more and express your support online: https://www.peticiq.com/468263
- Manual and screening mechanism
A manual and preliminary screening mechanism were developed to evaluate the extent to which mediation is applicable in the concrete cases of domestic violence. They are free of charge and accessible here: Download the manual. Within the framework of the project, 100 paper copies of the handbook were distributed, some of which were provided to the Sofia District and City Court.
- Raising awareness
Within the framework of the Initiative, we have created a video, which illustrates the type of screening that should be carried out at the beginning of family mediation in order to identify manifestations of domestic violence.
Events and trainings
In parallel with these activities, we conducted specialized training on mediation and its application in cases of domestic violence, both in person and online. The more than 60 participants had the opportunity to learn about innovations in mediation techniques, as well as successful practices for working with cases of domestic violence. Among the lecturers were:
• Corinne Levitz, American mediation instructor
• Indrė Korsakovienė-Kasiulaitė, Lithuanian mediation instructor, member of the Board of Directors of the Lithuanian Mediation Council
• Valya Ahchieva, investigative journalist
Round table with experts
At the end of the initiative a Round table was organized. Specialists, stakeholders and experts discussed the serious challenges facing family mediation in the context of „domestic violence pandemics“. The debates led to the formation of a Unified position, which will be presented to the Ministry of Justice with the aim of sustainable improvement of the legal framework and integration and accommodation of international good practices.
Thematic area “Democracy”
Inc. №: EUV/ 192
Organization: Troyan in the future
Place: Troyan Municipality
Web page: https://troyan-future.com
Name of the initiative: Informed civil participation in Troyan municipality
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 14984.39 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative provides for a study of attitudes and an informed public debate on the local environmental regulations, specifically on Ordinance No. 9 for waste management on the territory of the Municipality of Troyan and Ordinance for the construction and protection of the green system on the territory of the Municipality of Troyan. The focus of the debate will be the initiative to change the local legislation in order to harmonize it with the European eco-directives. Specifically, on the territory of Troyan Municipality there is still no well-organized and comprehensive separate waste collection. The ordinance also lacks texts regarding citizens’ participation in waste management processes and their role in monitoring compliance with environmental legislation. The results of the debate will be summarized in an official opinion and submitted to the Municipal Council of Troyan for consideration.
Results: Within the framework of the initiative, an informed public debate and informed civic participation at the local level took place with all stakeholders on the topics of waste management and the green system of the town of Troyan represented. Through a partnership with the local media, five working meetings were held. A number of working meetings at the expert level were also held with teams from the municipal administration. A survey was conducted among the general public, covering all stakeholders and target groups, a total of 203 respondents—while respecting the EU’s horizontal principles of gender equality and non-discrimination. Based on the analyses of the conducted studies, key baseline data were derived to enable the conduct of a consultative process for the formulation of public policies and an informed public debate in the form of a roundtable https://accdox.com/a0mta . All target groups and stakeholders were included in the debate. Based on the extracted results, analyses were prepared, which made it possible to draft and submit for public consultation (in accordance with the Law on Normative Acts), and subsequently for consideration by the Troyan Municipal Council, two regulatory acts – Ordinance for the Amendment and Supplementation of the regulation on Waste Management in the Municipality of Troyan https://accdox.com/cqtmh and Ordinance for the Amendment and Supplementation of the Green system preservation regulation. https://accdox.com/i6ecc
Within the framework of the initiative, an information campaign was conducted on all completed activities and results achieved.
Inc. №: EUV/ 206
Organization: Association „Parallel-Silistra“
Place: Silistra
Web page: www.paralel-silistra.net
Name of the initiative: Democracy in action
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 14999.26 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses the low level of knowledge of the mechanisms of local democracy and low trust in democracy among young people in Silistra region. According to the OSI-Sofia report for 2021-2022, the level of trust in the North Central Region (including Silistra District) is only 35%. This low result contrasts with the data from the 2017 report, according to which 65% of respondents in the North Central Region consider “democracy as the best form …”. The initiative’s plan includes educational activities in the areas of Human Rights, European Citizenship and Youth Empowerment, and also covers remote and ethnically mixed areas in Silistra district. An educational tool – “Democracy in Action” will be developed for use by a wide range of CSOs to develop civic competence and activism, and 21 representatives of community centers/teachers and educators will be trained to use it. Youth trainings will be held in the municipalities of Silistra, Tutrakan, Glavinitsa, Dulovo, where young people will build their civic competences by acquiring theoretical knowledge about the mechanisms of local democracy and their practical application.
Results: The initiative was implemented in the period March 2024 – March 2025 (https://paralel-silistra.net/democracy/). Its main goal was to restore and increase trust in democratic institutions among young people from the municipalities of Silistra, Tutrakan, Glavinitsa, Dulovo, and Sitovo through a series of targeted and practice-oriented activities.
In the first phase, twenty-two youth practitioners—local teachers, representatives of community centers, and non-governmental organizations—underwent training to organize and facilitate interactive educational initiatives for young people using the guide ‘Twelve Questions and Answers on Local Self-Government’. https://paralel-silistra.net/democracy/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Toolkit-for-young-people_compressed.pdf.
In the next stage, the young people put into practice the knowledge they had acquired by developing and presenting their own ideas and projects for the development of their communities to local authorities. The first outcome was the formation of 8 youth teams (instead of the planned 7) consisting of 111 people. This was achieved in May 2024. The third outcome was the inclusion of an additional 41 young people during the 2024-25 academic year, totaling 152 (instead of the planned 147), who participated in more than 40 training sessions/workshops and informational activities. 7 mini projects were implemented and presented in digital stories (https://paralel-silistra.net/democracy/wiki/). They stimulated civic activity and enhanced the understanding of democratic participation among young people. Five information bulletins were issued (https://paralel-silistra.net/democracy/publications/) and more than 20 press releases and social media posts released. The project also contributed to building a sustainable network of partnerships with local community centers, schools, and non-governmental organizations, thereby creating a supportive educational environment that promotes the principles of active citizenship and democracy in action.
Inc. №: EUV/ 199
Organization: Open Society Club Stara Zagora
Place: Stara Zagora
Name of the initiative: Towards brighter future
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19796.07 (EUR)
Resume: The Open Society Club Stara Zagora presents the regional literary institutions as diplomatic, acting ambassadors who promote European values. The aim is to achieve dissemination and deeper understanding of democratic principles and values through regional literary museums and libraries. The model developed to achieve the objectives includes updating and extending traditional methods and approaches of work in regional cultural institutions. A study on the level of awareness, presence of European values in the community, informed citizen participation for their protection and promotion through different segments of regional literary tourism is envisaged. This activity will be accompanied by an advocacy campaign to update local authorities’ public policies and plans related to the important themes of EU values, including the principles of their implementation and promotion in the community. An accessible website will provide opportunities for interaction with the general public and a deeper understanding of European values in Bulgarian literature.
Results: The implementation of the Initiative developed an innovative model for promoting European values in the local community through literary heritage. Changes in public attitudes cannot be measured with simple formulas, but at the end of all completed activities, a positive effect from the achieved results can certainly be registered. These changes also guarantee new attitudes of empathy and protection of progressive ideas within Europe
“Towards a Bright Future” has made tangible progress in promoting public debate and activating informed civic participation at the regional level. The increased interest in local literary history has been transformed into a channel for promoting and applying European values—human dignity, equality, and democracy in the community. The virtual platform “Traces of Ink” contains over 100 audio and video materials presenting the connections of regional authors with European culture: works by authors, manuscripts, memoirs, and translated editions. Easy access and a high-quality user experience across different devices (computers, tablets, smartphones, etc.) contributed to the successful implementation of the website developed under the project. In just four months, the platform has registered over 3,700 visits, demonstrating significant public interest. The impressive website has become a powerful catalyst for attracting attention and stimulating community interest in current issues of human dignity, equality, and democracy
The good approach, which professionally assessed the extent to which the goal of the Initiative to raise public awareness has been achieved, is sociological research. The Myara Agency analyzed regional literary museums as a universal mechanism for promoting universal human values and, consequently, the ideas, ideals, and values that are fundamental to European societies. The exit poll covered nearly 2,000 respondents: pilot focus groups and participants in organized events. The measured interests of museum audiences convincingly demonstrated that participants in the public debate have the resources to defend progressive ideas in Europe and can be ambassadors of equality between people, democracy and human dignity. Based on the research, a report was prepared: “Analysis of community attitudes towards the presence of universal and European values.” The results of the sociological study and the overall implementation of the Initiative were presented in January 2025 and discussed at a final round table with the participation of representatives of municipal councils and employees from the municipalities of Kazanlak, Chirpan, and Stara Zagora.
An important result achieved through the implementation of the Initiative is the attention attracted and interest generated among the general public in European values, as well as increased awareness and meaningful understanding of democracy. Interest in the lives of important regional authors can easily be transformed into interest in their work, and from there into interest in the values and ideals that are fundamental to European societies.
A century and a half ago, a Bulgarian enlightener praised literature as the new force that could change the future of an entire nation. The model implemented by the Initiative, which encourages cultural dialogue and the exchange of European values through various segments of literary tourism, can be described as a pilot project and can be replicated at the national level. The very idea of transferring European values through spirituality and literature is sustainable.
Several links to major publications
1) https://zagoranews.bg/2024/09/18
2) https://www.infoz.bg/region/12266-sledi-ot-mastilo-sabira-na-edno-myasto-pisatelite-na-stara-zagora
infoz.bg: „Traces of ink“ puts together the writers and authors of the town of Stara Zagora
3) https://bnr.bg/starazagora/post/102048659
Radio Stara Zagora: Literary online museum presents the writers and poets of the town of Stara Zagora
4) https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulgaria/regional-news/oblast-stzagora/837356-nova-virtualna-platforma-s-arhivi-ot-chetiri-literaturni-muzei-be-sazdadena-chre
Link to materials in BTA: A new virtual platform with archives of four……
5) http://www.starozagorci.com/news-46137.html
Web-site Starozagorci, The initiative of Open Society Club Stara Zagora Association “Towards a bright future” ended
Inc. №: EUV/197
Organization: Budno Gabrovo
Place: Gabrovo
Web page: https://budno-gabrovo.com
Name of the initiative: We can! Active citizens for good local governance and transparent institutions!
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18992.50 (EUR)
Resume: In recent years, more and more people are left with the feeling that the rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights are mostly declarative and on paper; that they have no real application in people’s everyday lives; that they remain just a good wish. This feeling is particularly true in smaller localities, where the defense of these rights is usually confronted with the barrier of fear, the reluctance of local authorities to act on them, a stagnant judicial system and the conformity of small communities where kinship ties and relationships prevail. These trends make transparent and lawful spending of public funds at the local level a serious problem. The initiative aims to raise citizens’ awareness of their rights, to increase opportunities for direct participation in monitoring institutions and to stimulate change in the work of local administration towards transparency and regular accountability to the public. The envisaged methods for achieving the objectives are the online integration of a citizens’ signals panel, a reception for signals in the organization’s office and active checks and actions on the signals submitted by the organization. In addition, the activity foresees the holding of ten open information days in the four municipalities of the district to inform citizens about their rights and the different opportunities to participate in local decision-making.
Results: Face-to-face meetings are the best way to transfer skills and knowledge, to inspire enthusiasm for action and belief in the ability of every individual to influence institutions.
The reporting panel and the upgraded website, with a section dedicated to the Initiative, played a very positive role in promoting EU support and, in particular, the support received from WCIF for greater civic engagement.
The reporting panel enabled people who do not know how to communicate with institutions and do not have the courage to do so in person to take the first step.
The informational materials created within the framework of the initiative serve as a guide for citizens when interacting with local authorities. Valuable legal guidance was received on how to proceed in common cases requiring the intervention of a municipality or institution. They were included in the second edition of the brochure, along with contact information and office hours for all municipalities and the most frequently sought-after institutions in the region. The panels on the website will continue to function, and the informational materials, once created as files, can be printed repeatedly because there is interest in them.
The municipal council sessions were publicly commented on, which is generally not done in the countryside, and people avoid reading municipal websites, which are huge and often even those familiar with them find it difficult to navigate.
The initiative encouraged and showed citizens how to submit reports and complaints themselves and participate in public discussions organized by institutions, rather than reacting when they see the results or decisions that have already been taken.
The information received from citizens during the information days and open house events is very valuable to because it leads to the realization how much information they lack and how many complaints and reports remain unanswered to their satisfaction. It is encouraging that young people want to participate in public debate and learn about their rights and opportunities to be part of it.
Links from:
1. The panel created especially for materials related to the initiative https://budno-gabrovo.com/news.php?id=Nie-mojem
2. The panel for processed signals from citizens (here you can also view the signals that are being processed and the format for submission) https://budno-gabrovo.com/signalend.php
Inc. №: EUV/202
Organization: NGO Club
Place: Targovichte
Web page: https://www.clubngo.org/
Name of the initiative: „Young people – the future of Europe“
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19909.48 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative highlights the high percentage of people expressing dissatisfaction with Bulgaria’s EU membership (especially those living in smaller towns) and the need to inform more young people about the values of the European Union and the specific EU policies that support the development of democracy. The aim of the organization is to implement activities that will lead to better knowledge, acceptance and application of EU values among the youngest citizens of Targovishte. Educational tools will be created through the use of interactive methods of presenting information and through the “Peers teaching peers” approach. These tools will be made available to volunteer students willing to participate as trainers who will use the educational tools in training sessions with their peers. In this way, the initiative wants to address topics such as respect for human dignity, democracy, equality and human rights in an attractive way for young people. As a closing event, a Hackathon “Young people – the future of Europe” will be held. Twenty-four students who have been through the training are scheduled to take part and produce material related to the themes in different media formats. The materials produced will be presented at the Hackathon and disseminated on various social networks.
Results: The 12-month initiative worked on developing and implementing educational tools to raise awareness of democracy and civil rights among young people from three schools in the town of Targovishte. The educational tools were developed in the form of a “Civic Education Handbook.” It included four topics related to the application of European values and the acquisition of knowledge on the subject. The scripts mostly included interactive methods: role-playing games, group work, etc. The Handbook, published in paper and electronic formats, was distributed to over 200 organizations and institutions, mainly schools, NGOs, and community centers. The electronic handbook was uploaded to the organization’s website, where it can be used by other organizations – https://www.clubngo.org/articles/new/
Another key method applied under the initiative was the “Peers teaching peers” method. To this end, 12 young volunteers were trained, who subsequently trained 214 students from three high schools in Targovishte. https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/lik/803013-blizo-200-gimnazisti-ot-targovishte-preminaha-obuchenie-po-proekt-mladite-hora. Feedback from the trained students showed high satisfaction and interest in the topics presented.
The final activity, Hackathon, was again carried out with volunteers and students who had undergone training on one of the topics. The digital products they created were subsequently uploaded to both the organization’s Facebook page and their personal profiles.
Digital products – Hackathon:
https://www.facebook.com/clubngo/videos/1174489707721714
https://www.facebook.com/clubngo/videos/1275944113697347
https://www.facebook.com/clubngo/videos/1135403474864492
https://www.facebook.com/clubngo/videos/648843091126965
Another important result is the increased capacity of the Non-Profit Organizations Club on EU topics and the use of alternative tools related to the dissemination of knowledge and the application of the basic principles of the European Union in everyday life.
Inc. №: EUV/210
Organization: Big brother Big sister Bulgaria Association
Place: Plovdiv
Web page: www.bbbsbg.org
Name of the initiative: Academy for work with volunteers
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 17981.35 (EUR)
Resume: After conducting a national survey on attitudes towards volunteering in Bulgaria, the BBBS – Bulgaria Association found that 61% did not receive the support they expected from organizations while volunteering, and almost 90% would like more adequate support and recognition. On the organizations’ side, the data shows that only 4% of respondents have developed rules for working with volunteers and 87% say that lack of legal regulation and funding are the biggest problems in the sector, leading to a lack of organization and good management of volunteering. All organizations surveyed said that they need more information and training regarding volunteer work and management. The aim of the initiative is to improve the capacity of CSOs in terms of volunteer management by providing training to 60 organizations and institutions in Plovdiv region. The main activity to achieve the goal is the development and implementation of a training program “Managing volunteers and organizing volunteer initiatives”, which consists of 4 full-day trainings “Managing volunteers”, 30 online consultations “Planning, implementation and evaluation of volunteer initiatives” and promotion of the results of the training program. Each organization and institution participating in the training program will have to organize its own or join a common volunteering initiative. As a final part of the initiative, a competition will be held with different categories and prizes for the organizations that have implemented volunteering activities within the initiative.
Results: The aim of the initiative was to increase the capacity of civil society organizations in the field of volunteer work by promoting volunteering as a means of active civic participation and successful professional realization for young people.
As part of the initiative, four training sessions on volunteer management and the organization of volunteer initiatives were held in the town of Plovdiv. A total of 124 representatives of 73 civil society organizations, schools, and local institutions from the Plovdiv region took part in the training sessions. After completing the training, the participants developed ideas for local volunteer initiatives through which they could put their acquired knowledge and skills into practice by in turn engaging more young volunteers for their implementation.
Between June and November 2024, 30 volunteer initiatives were carried out in seven towns in the Plovdiv region, involving 403 young volunteers aged between 15 and 29. The main themes of the initiatives were environmental protection, support for disadvantaged children and young people, and the promotion of human rights.
In recognition of the efforts of the young volunteers, the Big Brother Big Sister Bulgaria Association held a competition for the best initiative, which ended with an awards ceremony on December 5, 2024—International Volunteer Day. During the event, the five most impactful initiatives were honored, demonstrating the impressive commitment of young people and their contribution to local communities.
The “Academy for Working with Volunteers” confirmed the importance of volunteering as a driver of social change and personal development for young people, emphasizing the need for a professional approach to working with volunteers and recognition of their contribution.
Links:
BTA Plovdiv:
https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulgaria/794057-poveche-ot-hilyada-dobrovoltsi-sa-minali-prez-asotsiatsiya-golyam-brat-golyama-
BNR Radio Plovdiv:
https://bnr.bg/plovdiv/post/102084792/da-si-dobrovolec-e-umenieto-da-pravish-dobro
Municipal consultative council on youth issues – Karlovo Municipality:
Inc. №: EUV/225
Organization: Center for Educational Programs and Social Initiatives Association
Place: Yambol
Web page: http://cepsi95.org
Name of the initiative: The strength of civil participation
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 12997.29 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses the low level of civic participation in the processes of formulation and implementation of youth policies implemented by 6 public institutions in Yambol region. As an additional problem, it is noted the unpreparedness of local NGOs to actively engage in the processes of formulation and implementation of local youth policies. The objectives of the organization are to increase the competences of the target NGOs and strengthen their role in the formation and implementation of local youth policies; to strengthen civic activism among the local population; to improve the transparency and accountability of the target institutions. For the improvement of these factors, the initiative plans to first conduct training of CSOs in the form of a workshop with a practical focus. As a second activity, the Center for Educational Programs and Social Initiatives Association wants to analyze the process of youth policy development and implementation in Yambol Region by conducting a survey on youth policies and citizen monitoring of public institutions. This research also aims to provide a basis for the elaboration of at least 12 formal proposals by experts for the elaboration and implementation of youth policies. The proposals will be accompanied by an advocacy campaign and a regional public forum to present the results and proposals to the general public and stimulate their involvement.
Results: Major results achieved:
1. A set of training materials for NGOs developed.
2. A training seminar for NGOs conducted – 16 hours, 22 participants, representatives from 13 local NGOs. The participants acquired new knowledge and skills and increased competences.
3. A civil monitoring conducted over a period of 5 months, covering the 5 municipalities in Yambol region and the institution of the regional governor. A total of 28 draft proposals were made to improve the process of developing and implementing youth policies and to encourage civic participation.
4. In 3 focus groups, all draft proposals were reviewed and 33 proposals were prepared for submission to the respective target institutions.
5. One advocacy campaign was conducted, in which 110 representatives of the target groups, local authorities, and citizens directly participated. Three types of informational materials were distributed, reaching over 1,000 local citizens. Three media publications were realized, based on the project’s results and the campaign’s topic.
6. One successfully held regional public forum with the participation of 34 people, representatives of target groups, youth organizations, and active citizens. A total of 33 citizen proposals, 14 local, and 3 European best practices were presented.
7. Six official letters with a total of 37 proposals were deposited directly at the six target institutions.
All results reached are documented and uploaded on the web site of the Association CEPSIA /special page for the initiative/ – https://www.cepsi95.org/ThePower2024/documents.html
Inc. №: EUV/222
Organization: Podobri Foundation
Place: Shumen
Name of the initiative: Volunteering is super cool
Duration in months: 11
Contract Sum: 19500.00 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses the low interest of young people when it comes to civic participation and volunteering initiatives. This trend is evident in cited public surveys and statistics. Podobri Foundation aims to involve more young people in volunteering initiatives to improve their skills and knowledge for active participation in public life, building a more effective civic participation system. With the idea of promoting informed civic participation and helping local young people to embrace the cause of volunteering, the initiative will carry out a number of activities, including the following: development of a web platform and a volunteering handbook; an information campaign to promote the handbook among teachers and young people; a youth volunteering academy; mentoring and implementation of students’ initiatives; volunteering workshops by active civil society organizations.
Results: The initiative represents a comprehensive program for youth participation and the promotion of volunteering, through the creation of a video guide with short videos, a platform with volunteer opportunities, a volunteer academy, and a mentorship program for volunteers.
Within the duration of the initiative a video manual with over 15 video tutorials on the topic of volunteering was elaborated. The manual was presented to 20 teachers. Apart from that more than 1000 young people have examined and used the manual. Twenty-five young people were trained during a three days youth academy and subsequently eight events were implemented on their initiative. The activities of 5 local organizations that worked on the cultivation of urban spaces were also presented to the wide public. Among the activities of these organizations were the cleaning of the natural park, first aid demonstrations, showcased opportunities for youth mobility, and many more.
A total of 15 000 young people were reached online thanks to the initiative and over 350 participated physically in the events organized and workshops held. In addition the activities of two youth organizations were aided and a non-formal group of young people was formed. Last but not least a youth space was totally refurbished and renovated.
Thanks to the initiative the foundations of something significant were held and from there on these foundations would serve as the basis for many good endeavors.
Three links:
– https://tvshumen.bg/leading-news/vandali-stanaha-dobrovolci/
– https://becool.bg/narachnik/
– https://www.facebook.com/podobri.org/posts/pfbid0nPwcPng4ohWMRuZnPUsrPHoh6cbHuyxyPmXk5JDanB9L4Vyjdt4j7GWiST2gqoYsl
Inc. №: EUV/220
Organization: Active Policies Association
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://www.instagram.com/activepolitics.bg/
Name of the initiative: Increasing civic engagement and political participation among young people
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 17963.16 (EUR)
Resume: The National Youth Strategy notes that discriminatory attitudes, the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories, misinformation, low media literacy, insufficient critical thinking skills, etc., remain a problem among youth. Citing various studies, the Active Policies Association notes the decline in youth political engagement and the weak manifestations of critical political discourse, which are among the guarantors of a prosperous democratic society. The aim of the initiative is to counteract the above-mentioned negative processes that Bulgarian society is facing by working for higher awareness, engagement, critical thinking and a change in values. As an approach to work in this direction, attractive digital content and informal trainings on original civic education topics will be created. These educational tools will be used to deliver 80 civic education trainings with 11th and 12th grade students in partnerships with 80 schools in the target regions.
Results: Within the initiative “Active policies” the following outcomes were accomplished:
- Activity 1: Development of original topics on civic education
We have created 120 topics on civic education. The topics have been reviewed by experts, civic education teachers, and an expert editor. The topics are compiled in a digital collection, visualized, and shared.
- Activity 2: Development of educational videos
We produced and edited 80 short educational videos on civic education. Each video has subtitles for maximum accessibility, and we have posted the videos on our social media accounts—Instagram and TikTok.
- Activity 3: We created partnerships with 81 schools in the indicated regions and held 80 training sessions on civic education with students from the 11th and 12th grade.
We conducted training sessions and established partnerships with 81 schools, reaching 1,600 students in 20 regions across the country. The average ratings of participants show an increase in interest in topics related to civic engagement (+6.37%) and in the perception of their ability to influence change in society (+10.82%). 94% of students would recommend the training, and 66% plan to actively follow the initiative.
Links:
Links to some of the videos – 1, 2, 3
You can find the digital collection here
Post about the initiative in Instagram
Inc. №: EUV/230
Organization: HALO 2019 Foundation
Partner: Municipality of Haskovo
Place: Haskovo
Web page: https://halongo.eu/; https://halo-platform.halongo.eu; https://www.haskovo.bg
Name of the initiative: Citizen Budgets 2024
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The problems that the initiative addresses are civic apathy and inaction in Haskovo municipality. Low voter turnout and the absence of citizens from public discussions and consultations at local level are cited as indicators of these problems. The aim of the organization is to organize the third edition of the Citizen Budgets Program (CBP) after two successful editions provoked high levels of civic activism in different localities of Haskovo municipality. The CBP is a mechanism for implementing direct democracy that aims to improve citizens’ understanding of democracy, empower them to make informed civic choices and interact with the municipal administration. Public debates will be held to improve the CBP, focusing on local community issues and the implementation of EU values at local level. After the upgrade of the online platform of the CBP, the proposals received for civic initiatives will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary board and those that pass will be published on the platform where citizens can vote which ones to be implemented. It is planned that the selected civic initiatives from the CBP will be supported for their quality implementation.
Results: The initiative was implemented in partnership with the Municipality of Haskovo and aimed to promote civic participation and democracy at local level through the implementation of a third, improved edition of the author’s “Citizen Budgets Programme”. The implementation started with the holding of 36 public debates in Haskovo and other locations in the municipality with the participation of over 300 people. During the meetings, the inhabitants of the villages and of Haskovo debated issues important to them, such as European values and local problems. With the support of joint teams of partner organizations, residents of the municipality were encouraged to propose ideas for new civic initiatives and solutions to local problems through a dedicated online platform. It received a total of 82 proposals for civic initiatives, and after review by a multidisciplinary board, 79 of them reached the next stage of the program. In July 2024, an online vote was held in which over 6,500 people took part, and their vote determined which of the proposed citizens’ initiatives should be implemented.
In the autumn of 2024, with the support of HALO Foundation and Haskovo Municipality and with the active participation of local communities and volunteers, the six selected ideas of the citizens with strongest public support were implemented: 1) Festival “Give a hand” in Haskovo; 2) Purchase of materials for firefighting and first aid, and conducting educational lectures with children from the Rescue Club for the Future – Haskovo; 3) Construction of “Park of fairy tales” in the village of Dinevo; 4) Renovation of the community center in the village of Voivodovo; 5) Partial replacement of the windows of the community center in the village of Voivodovo; and 6) Renovation of the bus stop in the village of Klokotnitsa. 276 volunteers took part in these activities, demonstrating the commitment of the local community. The implementation of the initiative culminated in the conduct of surveys and focus groups, the preparation of an impact evaluation of the Citizen Budgets Programme and its presentation as a successful model for citizen involvement in local governance in a final webinar with the participation of municipalities and NGOs from across the country. The initiative not only strengthened the interaction between citizens, NGOs and local administration, but also established a sustainable model for active citizen participation. The program provided equal access to participation and instilled confidence in local communities that their ideas can be implemented in a transparent and effective manner.
Inc. №: EUV/228
Organization: It’s up to Us Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.otnaszavisi.com
Name of the initiative: Give me five!
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 16499.40 (EUR)
Resume: After the initial research, the organization found out that there is a significant number of initiatives that aim to promote and spread youth voluntarism. In spite of this seemingly large number of opportunities for volunteering there are very few such initiatives that allow young people to develop their managerial skills and knowledge, especially their skills to manage and communicate projects and develop design thinking. The initiative aims to upgrade already existing volunteering models by engaging teenagers not only as volunteers but also to inform them on the social role of NGOs and the problems they are trying to solve. Within the framework of the initiative 250 children from nineth and tenth grade from 10 schools will get a chance to know in details the work of various civil society organizations and the problems they are facing in their everyday activities. Ten micro projects are planned to be implemented and funded as part of the initiative. The idea behind this initiative is to inspire young people to view volunteering as a way of life and to gain skills and self-confidence to solve various complex issues and problems.
Results: During the implementation of the ‘Give me 5!’ initiative, two live libraries were held, involving 14 organizations and 207 participants. Eight preliminary meetings with 192 students were conducted, followed by 8 hackathons with a total of 224 participants. Eighteen mentoring sessions were held, involving 255 people.
The students worked on projects in support of the following organizations:
- NAVRB /National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria/ – visual identity and TikTok channel were created for the youth organization. The first video scored 650 000 views. More than 20 young people applied as volunteers which fulfils the objective of establishing again a youth volunteers structure in the capital of the country – Sofia.
- Time Heroes – explored how volunteering can become #trending among young people and provided guidelines for presenting the Heroes Cup on social media.
- The 1500 gang – developed a marketing campaign for the adoption of stray dogs.
- The 1500 gang – organized a charity marathon in the South park.
- CyberCLUB – initiated the development and improvement of educational computer game for detecting cyber bulling targeted at children from 1st to 4th grade.
- It’s up to Us – organized and implemented Easter campaign for humanitarian aid, in which three schools participated.
- Every Dog Matters EU – developed a strategy to increase dog adoptions and planned a charity event.
- It’s up to us – planned and conducted a Christmas workshop aimed at young people and provided guidance on creating social media profiles to promote volunteer activities.
- Individual students – created social media profiles and participated in the daily planning of activities at the Humanitarian Center ‘it’s up to Us’. They also helped in the planning and organization of the Easter event (19.04.2025).
Some of the young people continue to volunteer with the chosen organizations. The initiative proved that young people can be an active driving force of social change.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ETLtf8m72
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ARZJL5wih
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15NMQzySzY/
Thematic area “Diversity and Equality”
Inc. №: EUV/194
Organization: Znanie Association
Place: Lovech
Web page: www.znanielovech.org
Name of the initiative: Together for diversity
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative aims to tackle the growing prejudice, discrimination and exclusion of marginalized groups in society, especially among young people. The initiative focuses on the Lovech region and aims to conduct quantitative and qualitative research on the attitudes of residents on issues such as diversity and equality. This analysis will include a survey with 200 respondents and the organization of 4 focus groups with representatives of different target groups in Lovech region – young people, businesses, institutions and media. After analysis of the survey results, training materials and training course design will be developed to cover the different aspects of diversity and equality. Also, an information campaign will be prepared to reach over 10,000 people in the region in combination with practical workshops to build on the trainings in a practical aspect. The expected results are to contribute to a change in the attitudes of decision-makers and authorities towards diversity in society, as well as to support the introduction of policies and measures at local level towards equality and respect for human dignity.
Results: Znanie Association in Lovech completed the Together for Diversity initiative, which over the course of a year succeeded in raising public awareness of issues related to discrimination, equality, and inclusion. Through training, workshops, and a large-scale information campaign, the project engaged over 80 participants from key groups — young people, businesses, institutions, and the media—who underwent training on inclusion, equality, and diversity.
The participants created their own messages and visual products against discrimination, which reached over 34,000 people through social media campaigns, events, and partnerships with local organizations. Interactive methods were used – youth actions, simulations, videos – and all groups actively participated in every stage of the project: from researching attitudes (with 200 respondents from the Lovech region) to implementing the campaigns.
The project not only built on the capacity of Znanie Association, but also attracted new partners from the business and media communities. Most importantly, it created a new generation of ambassadors for tolerance and respect for diversity.
Inc. №: EUV/219
Organization: Women’s Club “Rodopchanka”
Partner: Young researchers for Youth development
Place: Smolyan
Web page: https://kjrbg.com/; https://youngimprovers.eu
Name of the initiative: Law-guide for women
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 12000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses women’s rights issues in the Smolyan region. It addresses issues such as lack of educational programs, insufficient information and social isolation that make women in the region vulnerable to various forms of discrimination and violation of their rights. By providing training and information to women and youth leaders and activists from different localities in the Smolyan region, the organization aims to provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively defend their rights. Information and advocacy campaigns are planned to raise awareness of women’s rights and encourage their active participation in community affairs. Also, through roundtables and the expansion of the local dialogue network, the initiative seeks to create the conditions for a broader discussion of women’s rights issues and to foster cooperation between different stakeholders. Expected results include increased awareness of women’s rights in the Smolyan region, improved conditions for exercising these rights and greater participation in public life. The initiative will thus contribute to achieving greater gender equality and strengthening civil society in the region.
Results: Through this initiative, a “Local Dialogue Network” for sharing, discussing and implementing important EU issues was established, which includes the local community leaders from the Smolyan region, trained in the town of Devin, plus another 60 leaders trained by them. Through the lectures on human rights delivered by experts, legal literacy was also increased among the participating women, helping them to better get orientated in the legal landscape.
Through 3 advocacy campaigns, the initiative contributed to increased women’s participation in community activities and local governance:
– Campaign to raise funds for the construction and placement of a bas-relief of the first woman mayor of Smolyan – Dora Vassileva;
– Campaign with members of the network before the Chairman of the Municipal Council – Smolyan to provide parking space for the disabled, increase from BGN 500 to BGN 800 the funds for projects allocated by the Municipality of Smolyan under the Youth Activities Fund;
– Campaign for the implementation of the “Recommendations for the implementation of the commitments of municipalities arising from the amendments to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence”.
Public awareness was raised and pressing local issues were put forward through two roundtable discussions on the following topics, which were held of considerable interest:
– “Working conditions in social care and the quality and future of social care in the Smolyan region”;
– “Raising awareness on domestic and gender-based violence”.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071772396723
Inc. №: EUV/207
Organization: Bilitis Resource Center Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://bilitis.org
Name of the initiative: Rainbow Rising: local partnerships for LGBTI inclusion
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: LGBTI people in Bulgaria face social and legal obstacles and discrimination that heterosexual and cisgender people do not. Public opinion towards them is negative, with only 39% of Bulgarians agreeing that they should have the same rights. These biases lead to the marginalization and exclusion of LGBTI people from society. The aim of the initiative is to strengthen the civic sector in the city of Varna by improving the capacity of NGOs to work for the inclusion of LGBTI people in their activities and contribute to overcoming discrimination against them. The initiative includes the creation of a joint program for five NGOs in Varna, which includes training, long-term support in specific cases, the development of a manual for working with LGBTI people and the organization of outreach events. Expected outcomes include increased awareness of the rights and needs of LGBTI people, greater willingness to support them and to involve them in civil society activities.
Results: LGBTI+ people with intersecting identities face numerous barriers in Bulgaria: from discrimination to lack of access to life-saving services. Very often, civil society organizations working with vulnerable groups are the first point of contact, but they themselves are unprepared and insufficiently familiar with the specific needs of this group. With this initiative, we continued our long-standing work to train and build the capacity of professionals in various fields. We trained 39 representatives of various civil society organizations based in Varna and working with vulnerable groups. The training focused on applying an intersectional approach in working with LGBTI+ people, as well as the current challenges facing the LGBTI+ community in Bulgaria.
Following the training and in ongoing collaboration with the organizations, we created a handbook for NGOs that would also like to improve their work and contribute to LGBTI+ inclusion. The handbook “Intersectionality and LGBTI Rights” provides practical advice and case studies for reflection on the topics of LGBTI+ inclusion and the application of an intersectional approach. It has reached more than 50 civil society organizations and is available at the site of the foundation.
As part of the initiative, four events were held with the aim of promoting LGBTI+ inclusion and dialogue on topics relevant to the community. Bilitis collaborated with the Queer Varna and Social Tea House foundations to create the first mutual support group for LGBTI+ people in Varna. It brought together more than 15 people with different intersecting identities who continue to meet beyond the scope of this initiative. The other two events brought together people from different marginalized groups in engaging and collaborative discussions and games to facilitate conversations about the challenges faced by LGBTI+ people and how they can cooperate better between themselves. These two events reached over 3,000 people on social media and were attended by over 50 people.
Through facilitated discussions, ongoing support to the civil sector, and the creation of accessible and up-to-date resources, we have improved access to services for more than 100 LGBTI people within the initiative.
Inc. №: EUV/193
Organization: Foundation “Positive Skills of the Individual in Society”
Place: Pernik
Web page: www.pulsfoundation.org
Name of the initiative: Together we can do more!
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19623.80 (EUR)
Resume: Domestic and gender-based violence is a serious problem affecting a significant number of Bulgarian families. Despite the efforts undertaken in recent years, violence is still widespread and causes discrimination and hate speech. Levels of violence and discrimination are particularly high in small towns and regions with a lack of information and a critical attitude towards violence. The aim is to respond to the needs of people in small settlements and especially adolescents through a series of training activities, workshops and campaigns to increase knowledge, awareness and sensitivity on the issue of domestic and gender-based violence. The initiative will involve representatives of institutions, students and young people. Expected outcomes include increased awareness and sensitivity on the issue of domestic and gender-based violence, active involvement of young people in volunteering initiatives, as well as increased awareness of the problem and increased support for victims of violence in society.
Results: The initiative was implemented during the period February 2024 – February 2025, achieving significant impact in small and isolated communities in the Pernik region. Within the framework of the initiative, 5 round tables and one training session were organized, with the participation of over 70 specialists from various institutions – social and health services, police, judicial system, schools, and NGOs. The focus was placed on building sustainable mechanisms for inter-institutional cooperation in preventing violence, discrimination, and misinformation on human rights issues.
Over 30 interactive meetings were held, attended by more than 500 students and over 100 parents. The activities increased awareness on topics such as domestic violence, discrimination, and social exclusion. Within the framework of the initiative, 12 young volunteers from the Youth Club ‘Let’s Be Friends’ were also trained on topics related to recognizing violence and supporting affected individuals.
The total number of participants in the activities exceeds 600 people. The initiative increased awareness, improved inter-institutional coordination, and laid the foundation for sustainable partnerships in support of vulnerable groups.
Major publications:
https://www.pulsfoundation.org/bg/actual/news/328-zaedno-mozhem-poveche-uchenici-roditeli.html
Inc. №: EUV/236
Organization: St. Nicholas Chudotvoretz Foundation
Partners: SU St. Kliment Ohridski; Dobrudga Television Ltd.
Place: Dobrich
Web page: http://chudotvorets.bg.cm/index.php; https://klohridski.com; https://tvdobrich.com
Name of the initiative: Together in a better world
Duration in months: 11
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: St. Nicholas Chudotvoretz Foundation, with years of experience in working with people with intellectual disabilities and their families, has noticed a growing trend of hate speech and unacceptance of differences in society. The aim of the initiative is to bring about a real change in the attitudes of children under 10 by raising their sensitivity to people with intellectual disabilities and the whole spectrum of difference. It is planned to conduct modular trainings for parents and primary school children in one of the largest schools in Dobrich, focusing on the introduction of norms of behavior and rules of communication. Training videos and podcasts will be created to promote solidarity and inclusion among children and their parents. Using social media and partnering with local media, materials will be disseminated to reach a larger audience, including parents aged 35+. It is expected that the initiative will contribute to a more tolerant and inclusive school environment where respect for differences is promoted. Partnerships with local schools and media are essential to the success of the initiative, as this will contribute to the wider dissemination and impact of the actions undertaken.
Results: The initiative launched in March 2024 with the negotiation of commitments and preliminary work schedules with our partners, Secondary School ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ and Dobrudga Television Ltd.
The first activity began with training sessions for the parents of children in the early grades, who were introduced to the growing trend of enforcing hate speech and intolerance of differences of any kind. Immediately afterward, modular training sessions began for all children from grades 1 to 4. A total of 8 one-day training sessions for parents were conducted, with a total of 308 participants. The modular trainings for children totaled 80, with 5 trainings and 5 workshops on a total of 10 different topics. The total number of children who attended the trainings reached 392.
The second activity was the filming of short educational videos suitable for children up to 10 years old, their teachers, and parents. Eight episodes of a podcast, bearing the name of the initiative, were also filmed. The themes of both the videos and the podcast were the acceptance of differences related to disability, ethnicity, religion, social status, and gender. The videos and the podcast were uploaded to our Facebook pages, and in just one month they reached a total of over 50,000 views.
Under the third activity, two events were held to promote the initiative – one in the city center, featuring a big band, lots of music, and a festive atmosphere; and one in the school’s assembly hall – with a premiere screening of the videos, gifts, and Christmas gingerbread cookies. Both events were attended by children, parents, teachers, friends, supporters, and fellow citizens, totaling over 500 people.
As a result of the initiative a certain part of the local community have become more sensitive to the problems of disabled people, with increased tolerance and empathy towards people from different cultures, ethnicities, religions, gender, etc. Thus a small place of tolerance and empathy was created.
Links to one event and one video:
https://www.facebook.com/fondationstnicolay/videos/585440481059247
Inc. №: EUV/196
Organization: Indi – Roma 97 Social Foundation
Place: Kuklen
Web page: http://indiromanews.com/
Name of the initiative: Beyond barriers
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 14996.05 (EUR)
Resume: Discrimination against the Roma community in Bulgaria has been well documented over the years in various reports by international organizations such as the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and Amnesty International. The specific problems that the organization faces in its daily work and that the Beyond Barriers initiative addresses are related to existing anti-Roma sentiments; increased encapsulation of Roma communities, leading to other problems such as lack of communication, increased mistrust between ethnic groups and social tensions; formalism in the approach to discrimination issues, which undermines the effectiveness of governance structures. The initiative will prepare and implement a series of interactive trainings together with representatives of the Roma community and municipal administration officials that aim to raise awareness and understanding and provide practical tools to combat discrimination, especially anti-Roma sentiment in the municipalities of Kuklen, Rodopi and Perushchitsa. The interactive local and off-site trainings will encourage participants to engage in critical dialogue, share experiences and develop strategies to promote inclusion, respect and equal opportunities for all. Involving representatives of the Roma community, municipal administration officials and municipal councilors in the anti-discrimination training will help to build trust, overcome disinterest and formalism, and promote cooperation. The initiative “Beyond Barriers” will prepare and broadcast a series of three discussion TV programs on Plovdiv public television “Trakia” on the topic of discrimination and anti-Roma sentiment to reach the general public.
Results: The initiative aimed to increase understanding and acceptance of international human rights standards and reduce discrimination in the municipalities of Kuklen, Rodopi, and Perushtitsa. The main results of its implementation are:
• A total of seven information meetings were held in the target municipalities with a total of 125 participants—four of the meetings were with representatives of the Roma minority and three with local government officials and municipal councilors.
• A series of interactive training sessions for a total of 100 representatives of Roma communities and employees from the three municipalities contributed to increased awareness, understanding of the causes of anti-Roma sentiments, learning strategies for overcoming prejudices, improving communication skills and intercultural competence.
• A handbook entitled “Tools for Combating Discrimination” was prepared with the aim of raising awareness and understanding of discrimination issues among a wider section of the population and as a practical tool for combating discrimination.
• A series of three television discussion programs on the general topic of “European Rights and Values” also contributed to raising awareness and understanding of the problems of discrimination and the root causes of anti-Roma sentiment, promoting dialogue and cooperation between different ethnic groups in the context of fundamental European values.
Good practices:
- An interactive training model was developed and implemented, meeting the needs of the target groups.
- The training sessions encouraged participants to engage in critical dialogue and propose measures for inclusion.
- The inclusion of different groups in the training sessions contributed to building trust and cooperation..
Inc. №: EUV/205
Organization: Amala – Friends Association
Partner: EKIP Foundation
Place: Dupnitza
Web page: www.ecip-bg.org
Name of the initiative: Equal rights – Equal opportunities
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 12247.77 (EUR)
Resume: Amala – Friends Association addresses the problem of Roma in Dupnitsa who face discrimination, segregation and poverty. Young Roma face interrupted education and lack of employment, while highly educated Roma are not effectively used as an engine for change. The initiative aims to strengthen the youth movement in the Roma community and consolidate the partnership with the EKIP Foundation through training and active participation of youth in public life, respecting the values of democracy and human rights. To achieve the objectives, the Peers Training Peers (PTP) method was chosen, creating an opportunity for young Roma to engage as co-trainers to train their peers. A one-day training on protection from discrimination and whistleblowing is also foreseen. The long-term goal is to develop a strong youth movement within the Roma community that understands the principles of democracy and human rights. Through participation in trainings and activities, it is expected to improve the social integration of youth and increase public sensitivity, respect for human dignity and the ideas of equality. As part of the initiative, a video will be produced that will present key aspects of the human rights theme and promote the PTP model. This material will be disseminated locally and regionally in order to increase public awareness of the problems of the Roma community.
Results: The involvement of young people in the initiative’s activities contributed to increasing their knowledge of fundamental European values, respect for human dignity, understanding of the ideas of equality and non-discrimination. The activity and involvement of Roma youth was increased by improving their capacity to participate in socio-economic life and in the formation of local policies. The innovative practice of peer-to-peer learning and the effective work with the 290 young people from four vocational secondary schools in the town of Dupnitsa involved in the project activities ensured increased awareness of EU values and their acceptance and implementation at local level. Other important results include increased sensitivity to respect for human dignity and ideas of equality, as well as limiting the spread of hate speech and encouraging the acceptance of diversity and pluralism in society.
The initiative created an additional channel for communication with the youth community. The space provided for sharing their own projects, experiences, and ideas made them feel like creators of something, feel their personal impact on their peers, gain self-esteem and confidence that they can make a difference. The initiative not only enabled young people to build valuable skills, but also laid the foundations for a strong youth movement in the Roma community, which will continue to develop in the future.
The Amala – Friends Association continues to work for a more just and equitable society!
Links to:
Video materials from the training sessions of Activity 1: https://agencia.bg/2024/05/29/%d1%83%d1%87%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%86%d0%b8-%d1%81%d0%b5-%d0%be%d0%b1%d1%83%d1%87%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%85%d0%b0-%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%b5%d0%b2%d1%80%d0%be%d0%bf%d0%b5%d0%b9%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8-%d1%86%d0%b5/
Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPqjVfWxjWk&t=7s
Manual Peer to peer training: https://www.ngobg.info/en/documents/3266-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8A%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0-%D0%B2%D1%80%D1%8A%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82-%D0%B2%D1%80%D1%8A%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8.html
Inc. №: EUV/229
Organization: Association Altruist
Place: Varna
Web page: www.altruist-ngo.com
Name of the initiative: Work is a right, not a privilege
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 7496.20 (EUR)
Resume: People who have served time in prison face serious social problems on their return to society, finding it difficult to find work and integrate into the community. This problem leads to an increased level of recidivism and difficulty in overcoming the stigma associated with people’s past of convicted prisoners. The initiative aims to overcome discrimination related to the employment of formerly incarcerated people by providing them with the opportunity to integrate into the labour market and promote their social rehabilitation. An action plan to overcome discrimination, an advocacy campaign and regular workshops between the target groups are foreseen in order to establish new practices and mechanisms to support persons returning from prison in society and the labour market. As a result, the initiative expects to reduce the recidivism rate and contribute to the social rehabilitation of formerly imprisoned persons by providing them with opportunities to participate in the labour market. This will allow them to cover their and their families’ basic needs in a lawful manner and contribute to their social integration. In the long term, this is expected to bring benefits to society as a whole, reducing prison recidivism and meeting part of the labour market need. An important aspect is also overcoming the social stigma that prevents individuals from realizing and integrating into society.
Results: In figures:
Two surveys were conducted with persons in conflict with the law, in which 62 prisoners participated;
Two surveys were conducted with employers, in which 32 employers participated;
Two tests were conducted to assess the readiness and need for employment, involving 31 prisoners.
A study was conducted on the experience of other countries regarding the actions taken by competent institutions after the release of a person who has been in prison in order to assist in their reintegration into society, including facilitating their entry into the labor market.
An analysis was made of Bulgarian legislation regarding the measures set out in various laws, regulations, and other acts aimed at helping people who have been released from prison to find employment. Following the analysis, specific steps were outlined that could be taken in a very short time frame to bring about change. In this regard, a proposal was prepared for the Minister of Labor and Social Policy.
A study was conducted not only on the profile of prisoners, but also on the problems they encounter when looking for work after their release. As a result, specific steps were planned to reduce the time between leaving prison and applying for a job, or eventually getting one. These specific steps are to be discussed with the management of Varna Prison and implemented. The approach is new and innovative.
A survey was conducted on employers’ attitudes towards hiring people in conflict with the law. The approach taken did not yield satisfactory results. Employers’ organizations did not show understanding or willingness to help establish broader contact with their members in order to conduct a larger-scale information campaign. We worked with individual employers from different sectors. The initiative provided jobs for 12 prisoners, but this is only a solution for those 12 people. And employers can dismiss former prisoners from their jobs at any time, just as they hired them. What is truly valuable and is the result of our work on the initiative is the Action Plan to overcome discrimination related to the employment of persons who have been in prison. Its implementation requires the involvement of several institutions, and we are determined to compel those in power to make the necessary changes to fulfill their obligations.
The materials produced during the implementation of the initiative can be viewed on the association’s website: www.altruist-ngo.com.
https://www.altruist-ngo.com/blog/reportazh-po-bnt-nevzmozhniyat-zhivot-sled-reshetkite-na-nas-zatvornici-ne-ni-tryabvat;
https://www.altruist-ngo.com/proekti
Inc. №: EUV/216
Organization: Center for Jewish-Bulgarian cooperation Alef
Place: Burgas
Web page: http://alef-bg.org/
Name of the initiative: Tolerance against hate – applying EU values in the multicultural society of Burgas region
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19781.00 (EUR)
Resume: The Center for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Alef registers that in the region of Burgas there is an increase in xenophobic moods and hate speech due to migrant pressure and economic stagnation. This problem leads to an expansion of groups that become the target of hostile speech and to an increase in social fears. The aim of the initiative is to counter xenophobic attitudes and hate speech through education and information campaigns that aim to strengthen tolerance and understanding between different ethnic groups in the region. The initiative envisages monitoring of vulnerable groups in the district that are subject to hate speech, as well as an information campaign called “The different are like Us”, which will introduce the public to the culture, traditions and successfully integrated individuals from different ethnic groups. The campaign will also include an initiative called “Stronger than Words” which will involve young people in discussions and activities aimed at countering hate speech. Through the implementation of these activities, it is expected that an increase in tolerance and understanding between the different ethnic groups in the district will be achieved. The planned regional conference is expected to contribute to the creation of sustainable municipal policies against hate speech that will help reduce xenophobic sentiments and strengthen diversity and equality in society.
Results: All activities of the initiative were aimed at getting to know “the different” as a first step towards achieving a tolerant multi-ethnic society – an important condition at a time when the region is becoming increasingly diverse, and political and economic conditions are influencing the radicalisation of public opinion and increasing the risk of hate crimes.
The initiative started with a large-scale study of the types of ethnic groups that are most often the target of hate speech and discrimination, including personal meetings and interviews with representatives of vulnerable groups and relevant institutions, outlined trends, identified the main targets of intolerance, the scope and main channels for the spread of hate speech, as well as the direct consequences on discriminated groups and society as a whole.
As part of the information campaign “Those who are different are like us,” a printed and electronic brochure entitled “Hate Hidden in Words” was published, which increased understanding and acceptance among citizens in the community of international standards for human rights and the avoidance of discrimination.
Experience shows that after the initial rejection of foreigners (refugees, immigrants, representatives of other ethnic groups) by local residents, learning about their culture leads to an awareness of similarities and subsequent acceptance. This was the method chosen for the publication of the printed on paper and electronic magazine “Get to Know Me.” The magazine was published in 12 issues and presented the culture, customs, way of life, and integration problems of all ethnic groups living in the region. The electronic versions of both editions, published on the Internet, have been visited over 1,000 times.
The discussion club “Stronger than Words” – young people against hate speech, which also included a video competition, attracted 91 students and 10 psychologists, teachers, and NGO representatives. The young people acquired practical skills for recognizing and countering hate speech and xenophobia. They will become leaders who will guide their peers in the fight against hate speech, ambassadors of EU values and their application in the places where they live and want to develop.
The Regional Conference: “Creating Sustainable Municipal Policies Against Hate Speech” attracted considerable interest. The event brought together representatives of twelve municipalities from the region—a total of 37 people—who discussed good practices and strategies for dealing with hate speech. They accepted and signed Alef’s proposal to create special policies for preventing and combating hate speech and all forms of violence based on ethnicity, including in the online space.
Two press announcements were prepared and released both on the site of the initiative https://centeralef.wixsite.com/tolerantnost and also on the Alef’s site – http://alef-bg.org/bg/, and also on children oriented regional and national websites and information agencies, among which: https://bnr.bg/burgas/post/102107797/obshtinite-s-dobri-praktiki-sreshtu-ezika-na-omrazata, https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/lik/822878-okolo-dobriya-primer-i-rolyata-na-mediite-se-obediniha-uchastnitsite-v-konferent#%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%84, https://www.faragency.bg/news/17381525874794/tsentar-alef-obedinyava-institutsii-i-obshtini-v-borbata-sreshtu-rechta-na-omrazata,
https://www.cross.bg/omrazata-ezika-diskriminatziya-1763674.html, https://utroruse.com/article/1077262/, https://pronewsdobrich.bg/okolo-dobriya-primer-i-rolyata-na-mediite-se-obediniha-uchastnitsite-v-konferentsiya-za-borba-s-ezika-na-omrazata-v-burgas-p556574
Inc. №: EUV/198
Organization: Club Open Society – Ruse
Place: Ruse
Web page: www.oscrousse.org
Name of the initiative: Roma ombudsman
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 13991.32 (EUR)
Resume: The Roma community in Ruse region faces marginalization and social intolerance, which leads to violations of their rights and dignity. They are excluded from decision-making processes and face discrimination in various spheres of life. The initiative aims to increase Roma’s access to justice and administrative services, promote their civic participation in policy-making and improve young people’s awareness of their rights. A study is planned on the state of respect for Roma rights and their participation in shaping local integration policies. Creation of the position of “Roma ombudsman” to be filled by a mediator and defender of Roma rights, providing the necessary support and representation of Roma before different institutions and bodies. It is also envisaged to develop a methodology for human rights education of students and its pilot implementation in two schools in Ruse region. This will contribute to raising the awareness of the young generation about Roma rights and the possibilities to fight discrimination. Publicity and transparency will be ensured for these activities through information campaigns and publications, which will highlight the objectives, results and the funding program. As results of the initiative, it is expected that at least 120 Roma will be informed about their rights and receive counselling, the main problems affecting Roma people will be researched, and a methodology for educating adolescents about human rights protection will be developed and successfully implemented in two schools in the Ruse region.
Results: The initiative was implemented by the Open Society Club – Ruse and the Regional Administration – Ruse. The aim was to improve access to justice and administrative services for Roma in the region and to contribute to their full civic participation in policy-making. Particular attention was paid to improving young people’s awareness of their rights.
Within 12 months, the Club’s experts held 46 information meetings with 182 representatives of vulnerable groups in 20 small towns in the Ruse region. The acting Roma ombudsman provided detailed information to those present about their rights and promoted European values by providing positive examples and encouraging social integration, equality, and cultural understanding.
Eight focus groups were held in the eight municipalities of the Ruse region with 84 participants to assess the level of discrimination in the community. A report with specific conclusions and recommendations to local authorities was prepared and provided to all administrations.
Fifty-two students in grades 5 to 7 from Angel Kanchev Primary School in Ruse and P. R. Slaveykov Primary School in the village of Obretenik, Borovo municipality, underwent interactive training on human rights over a period of six months.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmAQtWBj1B4 /
Inc. №: EUV/201
Organization: Varna Community Foundation
Place: Varna
Web page: http://www.odfv.org/
Name of the initiative: Intersecting Worlds
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: Citing the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), Varna Community Foundation addresses the problem that people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems face stigma, social exclusion and deprivation of basic rights. The aim of the initiative is to improve the integration and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities in society and to reduce stigma and discrimination against them. Activities to achieve this include the production of short films with personal stories of people with intellectual disabilities, improvisational theatre with their participation and a strategic communication campaign to reduce discrimination and increase understanding and acceptance. These activities are expected to lead to increased understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, reduced stigma and discrimination, increased social integration and support for their participation in society. In the long term, the initiative aims to contribute to changing perspectives on vulnerable groups and to promoting equality and diversity in society.
Results: The initiative aimed to increase understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities by sharing their personal stories with the general public.
The power of personal storytelling proved to be the driving force behind the initiative. Five short films, based on real-life stories of people with intellectual disabilities, have already been viewed by over 180,000 users on social media.
The following activities were carried out as part of the initiative:
– 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with families of persons with disabilities;
– Five short films were created with the support of experts from the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) based on real life stories;
– Improvisational social theater was performed;
– A communication campaign was conducted, through which the films reached a much larger audience than originally planned;
– A book was published with the cause “Intersecting Worlds,” including all 30 stories—an additional result of the initiative, in addition to what was originally planned.
Link to the YouTube page where the short films are published:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO_d3rCILyonNo_U5nIz4Lw
Link to one of the articles:
Inc. №: EUV/223
Organization: Mission Wings Foundation
Place: Stara Zagora
Web page: www.missionwings.bg
Name of the initiative: Diversity in action
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19998.00 (EUR)
Resume: Racist practices and social exclusion are observed in the Stara Zagora region, especially towards refugees, Roma and other minority groups. Lack of knowledge of the native language and culture leads to isolation and barriers to accessing services, while employers and institutions often violate the rights of different minority groups. The aim is to create an open and equitable community in the Stara Zagora region by reducing racist practices, improving access to services for vulnerable groups and improving human rights awareness. A local survey will be conducted to gather more detailed information about NGOs operating in the municipality of Stara Zagora that have a connection with human rights issues. Additional data on discrimination in the region will also be collected. Other approaches that will be used to achieve the objectives of the initiative include trainings on European values and human rights, an information campaign to change attitudes and capacity development of the Migrant Council (an informal group of representatives of different migrant communities in Stara Zagora). The initiative foresees a greater consolidation of the NGO sector in the region, an increased sensitivity to human rights and European values and rapidly developing leadership community of migrants that actively participates in local decisions and takes its rightful place in the public landscape.
Results: Trainings for the NGO sector in the Stara Zagora region
Six one-day modules were conducted for 36 local representatives of eight NGOs and four institutions on the topic of “European values and human rights.” Understanding, knowledge, and sensitivity on the topic have increased. There is a desire for cooperation in future initiatives and a desire for unity. Additional result: An idea was developed on the initiative of the VIVO Community Foundation for future joint partnership between NGOs in a fundraising campaign for a cause at the “Fair of Goodness” event held on April 27, 2025, with BGN 32,527 raised for a local charity cause.
Mentoring program for refugees and migrants
Four one-day training sessions were planned and conducted, and mentoring support was provided to 16 participants, encouraging their involvement in the NGO community in Stara Zagora. Thirteen community initiatives were carried out by participants in the mentoring program for the benefit of two migrant communities—Syrian and Ukrainian. Nearly 150 migrants from different communities were reached; over 300 local citizens participated in fundraising events in support of vulnerable migrants and refugees.
There is increased motivation for participation in community initiatives and self-expression among migrants. There is greater understanding and awareness of their role in local decision-making processes. The local community has become more sensitive to the needs of migrant groups. Solidarity has been shown in meeting the needs of refugees in the Stara Zagora region. New ideas have emerged for bringing migrant communities together. Local civic groups have shown initiative in supporting refugees and migrants through fundraising campaigns – support for single parents.
Major links:
https://www.facebook.com/MissionWingsStaraZagora/posts/1016699463816726https://www.facebook.com/MissionWingsStaraZagora/posts/1022013163285356
Inc. №: EUV/200
Organization: Debut Association
Place: Kyustendil
Web page: https://debut.bg/
Name of the initiative: The faces of the different
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: Discrimination against vulnerable groups in Bulgaria is a systemic problem that is often not recognized and not effectively addressed by law enforcement authorities. Debut Association found that discrimination against Roma and gender discrimination are the most widespread. The goal of the initiative is to change the mindset and increase citizen control over institutions to adequately enforce the Law on Protection Against Discrimination (LPAD) by increasing the recognition and addressing the discrimination among young people in the municipality of Kjustendil. By conducting training for young people on different forms of discrimination and collecting personal stories of discrimination from vulnerable individuals, a basis for understanding the problem will be created. As a next activity, short films will be produced and distributed that illustrate the experiences of discriminated youth. These activities will be accompanied by a roundtable discussion involving the local authorities and other responsible local institutions. It is expected to increase the recognition and non-acceptance of discrimination among young people in the municipality of Kjustendil, as well as to improve the implementation of the law on protection against discrimination by different public institutions at local level. A change in attitudes against discrimination and a wider recognition of the need to respect the rights of vulnerable groups in society are also envisaged.
Results: The main goal of the initiative was to raise awareness and address discrimination against Roma, migrants, women, LGBTI people, and people with disabilities among young people in the municipality of Kyustendil. The initiative focused on reducing discrimination through education, creativity, and advocacy.
Main activities and results:
1. Training for young people
– Online training in 5 modules and a three-day online workshop;
– 15 young people aged 16–25 trained;
– 4 case studies based on personal stories of discrimination created.
2. Creation and distribution of short films
– Four short films were shot based on the developed case studies;
– Twenty young people participated in the creation of the production;
– A premiere was organized with an audience of 100 people;
– Total online reach:
* YouTube: 41,000 views;
* TikTok: 370,000 views;
* Facebook: 108,876 users reached and 14,717 clicks;
3. Advocacy and round table
– A round table was held with the participation of 23 representatives of institutions and young people;
– Questionnaires, a press release, and a document with recommendations for the prevention of discrimination were developed and distributed.
4. Implementation of communication plan
– Distribution of films and information via:
* Facebook, Instagram, TikTok;
* Online media;
* Press releases and publications on the Association’s website.
5. Results achieved and impact
– Increased awareness of discrimination issues among young people;
– Effective communication materials created, reaching a wide audience;
– Strengthened partnership between young people and local institutions;
– The document with recommendations serves as a basis for future policies at the local level.
6. Sustainability
The results of the project are sustainable through:
– Continued distribution of the films on YouTube and social networks;
– The document with recommendations, which can be used for future advocacy actions.
YouTube channel of Debut Association: https://www.youtube.com/@debut.production FB page of Debut Association: https://www.facebook.com/NEznachiNE
Inc. №: EUV/208
Organization: Academic Ethnology Association at Sofia University
Place: Sofia
Name of the initiative: In search of an asylum: people, values and practices.
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 11984.00
Resume: Academic Ethnology Association at Sofia University, composed of students and professors, registered extremely negative attitudes towards Middle Eastern minorities residing in Bulgaria. Attitudes that are dictated by the lack of knowledge about the life and history of the countries in the Middle East. In the public discourse, the issues related to the reception of migrants coming through Turkey are used politically at the cost of even sacrificing human lives. The war in Israel in recent months has given new impetus to infodemia. The lack of information and personal contact with refugees makes it difficult to understand and overcome negative opinions. The initiative aims to raise students’ awareness and sensitivity towards Middle Eastern refugees through trainings, workshops and personal encounters. The aim is to replace stereotypical thinking with understanding and empathy. The initiative includes training of students by experts in the field of social work with refugees, organizing workshops with children and young people from the Registration and Reception Center (RRC) in Sofia and making a reflective picture of the participants’ experiences during the meetings. The students are expected to improve their level of critical thinking towards media publications and political slogans, to understand the true nature of refugees’ lives and to develop a humane attitude towards them. The activities will culminate in an exhibition that will present the students’ impressions of refugee life.
Results: The initiative aimed to reduce hate speech and promote cultural diversity towards migrant communities arriving in Bulgaria from countries outside Europe. It was implemented between February 2024 and February 2025. Students majoring in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of History of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski played a central role in the initiative. Their goal was to show a wider audience at the end of the initiative how attitudes towards unfamiliar and distant communities and cultures can be changed by getting to know these communities and their problems through personal encounters and shared experiences. Activities and results of the initiative:
- Discussions between students and experts in working with refugees and asylum seekers with over 65 participants, in which students learned more about the practical work that social workers from state institutions and the non-governmental sector carry out in the field among refugees and asylum seekers;
- Workshops were held with students, teachers, and unaccompanied children living in the Ovcha Kupel Registration and Reception Center in Sofia, in which more than 40 children and 20 students participated. The two workshops held at the Ovcha Kupel Center and another one held at the National Ethnographic museum for two children and some students.
- Methodology developed for building a reflective picture of changing attitudes among students and teachers when working with refugees and asylum seekers, which is universal in nature and can be adapted to different ethnic, religious, and other vulnerable communities.
- An information campaign was carried out with an exhibition entitled “Looking for a home, finding a person,” which presented the changing stereotypes and attitudes of future professionals in the humanities and social sciences towards refugees and asylum seekers. The exhibition was presented in the Rectorate building of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the House of Cinema with over 400 visitors in both locations, and then uploaded to the website of the Academic Ethnological Association-SU and the website of the Department of Ethnology.
Presentation of the exhibition „Looking for a home, finding a person“, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” web-site, 17.01.2025.:
Looking for the human in the field of humanity, Bulgarian National Radio /BNR/, 22.01.25:
A journey to universal human values with the exhibition “Looking for a home, finding a person,” BNR,https://bnr.bg/sofia/post/102110970/izlojbata-da-tarsish-dom-da-namerish-chovek-patuvane-kam-obshtochoveshkite-cennosti?fbclid=IwY2xjawJJCv1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHagwU3GwihoUmrJKxfaxw451XRmxg3a_lS_-_7EzdLPgigIyBe5W89b8qA_aem_DhUSX_nWWvdBETIMihc_pg
Inc. №: EUV/218
Organization: Documentalists Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://dokumentalisti.bg
Name of the initiative: Documentalism, technologies and activism in defense of human rights and values
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19992.95 (EUR)
Resume: The Documentalists Foundation finds that Bulgaria suffers from a deficit of quality, credible and modern journalism, especially in the field of social and socially significant issues. The media environment is subjected to external influences such as malicious funding, political dependence and self-censorship, which makes it difficult to work on complex issues, especially those related to human rights. At the same time, Bulgaria is falling behind modern trends and technologies for presenting information, leading to increased media illiteracy and public vulnerability to propaganda and manipulation. This initiative seeks to address this problem by creating a digital platform for modern and quality multimedia journalism focused on important but often neglected topics. Methods and techniques to solve the problem include creating a digital platform that will offer content in line with the latest trends in journalism, including text, photography, video, audio and data visualizations. The Foundation will develop and publish five documentary stories related to human rights and vulnerable groups that will be disseminated through the platform. It is hoped that the creation of the digital platform and the publication of documentary stories will allow the public to be informed on important social issues. This is expected to raise public awareness as well as broaden public discussion on these issues. At the same time, the Foundation will strengthen its capacity to produce quality journalism and increase its visibility and influence in the media environment.
Results: The initiative ended with sustainable and significant results for the Bulgarian media and civil society. The main objective of the initiative was strategic communication on the priority “Diversity and Equality”, which was not only achieved but also exceeded through the introduction of innovative forms of storytelling and active inclusion of vulnerable groups.
As part of the initiative, the first multimedia platform for documentary journalism in Bulgaria was created– den.fm, which covers socially significant topics. Six documentary stories and five podcasts were created on topics related to water scarcity, domestic violence, access to healthcare in small towns, and the refugee crisis on the Turkish border. Each story was supplemented with in-depth explainers, data visualizations, and original photography, which made the content more accessible and impactful.
One of the most significant achievements was the national communication campaign “It’s not a horror movie, it’s a terrifying reality,” carried out in partnership with Much Better (part of Ogilvy) and bTV Media Group. The campaign reached hundreds of thousands of people through social media, TV appearances, special videos, and free banner space in key digital media. Support from other leading media outlets such as OffNews, Actualno, Boulevard Bulgaria, Gospodari na efira, Toest, and BNR contributed to a wide public impact and reached millions of viewers.
The initiative also focused on introducing good practices for the Documentalists Foundation: integrated multimedia formats, working side by side with vulnerable groups, strict adherence to ethical standards and principles of participant protection, while cross-sector partnerships and volunteering became the basis for success. The stories not only reached a wide audience, but also gave representatives of the target groups a real opportunity to formulate the messages themselves and participate in the creation of the content.
The implementation of the initiative was accompanied by a number of challenges. Nevertheless, with the support of WCIF team, partners, and supporters, the initiative implemented all planned activities and created a sustainable basis for the future development of the foundation. The experience gained, the partnerships built, and the technological infrastructure will be used in future projects and will enable even more efficient planning, team expansion, and activity development.
The platform den.fm is open to new authors and partners, and work on the topic of domestic violence continues actively even after the initiative has ended. All good practices, results, and materials are available at the following links:
Platform den.fm
Inc. №: EUV/217
Organization: Balkan Social Integration Centre
Place: Silistra
Name of the initiative: Intercultural interaction for prevention and protection against discrimination
Duration in months: 9
Contract Sum: 10000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The region of Silistra in Bulgaria has a high percentage of ethnic minorities, which requires special social, educational and economic approaches to promote equality and tolerance in society. The integration of ethnic minorities, especially school-age children, is essential and a priority for both European and national policies. The initiative aims to help improve intercultural skills in education in the region of Silistra by creating a training course on intercultural education and anti-discrimination applicable to all schools in the country. It is planned to develop a training course to be piloted for teachers in the district of Silistra. Accompanying this course, consultations and advocacy will be conducted for the implementation of the course in other schools in the country. The realization of the initiative is expected to contribute to the improvement of intercultural skills of students and teachers in the district of Silistra. It is also expected to increase public awareness of the importance of intercultural education and encourage future initiatives to develop this type of education across the country.
Results: The main objective of the initiative was to improve the intercultural skills of students and teachers studying in an intercultural educational environment, while raising public awareness of the importance and necessity of introducing intercultural education courses in schools. The initiative was implemented in the Silistra region.
The main product of the initiative is the developed “Methodology for Intercultural Education,” which is freely available at the following link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jcOyPLxTMiRIU3Pt6IZuSITfJeathXLt/view
In addition to the methodology, a Report on Good Practices in Intercultural Education and an Analysis of the Discrimination Legislation were prepared. Based on these outputs, four training modules were developed for the delivery of thematic training for education professionals.
Four two-day training sessions on intercultural education were successfully held, attended by more than 100 teaching professionals. During the training, the training modules developed, good practices report, the analysis and the methodology for intercultural education were presented. The training increased the intercultural sensitivity of the educators and contributed to their motivation to implement different approaches to improve intercultural competences in multicultural classrooms. The Anti-Discrimination Reception Room, the Intercultural Education Conference and the Online Forum for Intercultural Education were attended by more than 240 people in total. Through them, the initiative reached out to other stakeholders in addition to the target group, thus raising awareness of the project results.
Inc. №: EUV/224
Organization: BOKAYA
Place: Kula
Web page: http://bokaya.eu
Name of the initiative: Equal access to the activities of sports clubs and organizations for all
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 17997.40 (EUR)
Resume: The problem of lack of equality, diversity and equity in sport in Bulgaria requires urgent measures to tackle it. Bokaya Association has identified this problem during the implementation of the Fair Play project, which includes a survey of numerous Bulgarian athletes and training of coaches, representatives of sports organizations and sports journalists. The aim of the initiative is to carry out communication activities and trainings targeting athletes and other stakeholders in Vidin and other regions in order to raise awareness of athletes’ rights, the principles of diversity and equality and their application in the activities of sports clubs and organizations. The methods planned include conducting activities with focus groups of athletes and parents in the town of Vidin, in order to make them aware of their problems related to the lack of equality, stereotypes, violence and misapplication of rights and rules in sports organizations. It is then planned to create a framework for a document summarizing athlete’s rights, principles of diversity and equality in sport, and rules for participation in sports organization activities. This framework will be adapted to sports clubs, organizations and institutions in Vidin, the North West and across the country. This framework will be used to organize workshops with responsible institutions and organizations, as well as other stakeholders, to discuss the issues addressed in the initiative and proposals to resolve them. An information campaign will be conducted to raise awareness of athletes’ rights and the principles of diversity and equality in sport, with the aim of changing public attitudes and views on equal access rights to the activities of sports clubs and organizations.
Results: Between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025, the BOKAYA Association implemented the initiative with the aim of promoting equality, inclusion, and respect for human rights in the field of sports. The activities under the initiative were aimed at athletes, coaches, parents, and representatives of institutions, with a focus on overcoming discrimination and creating a more accessible sports environment.
A series of different events were organized as part of the initiative, including working meetings, focus groups, a round table, and a mass sports run with over 100 participants. The total number of direct participants exceeded 110, and through online campaigns and media visibility, the initiative reached over 180,000 people from the general public.
The information campaign included the creation of three videos, social media posts, publications in local media, and the production of physical materials such as brochures, T-shirts, caps, and mugs, which were distributed among the participants in the events. In cooperation with local sports clubs and institutions, specific proposals for policies and practices promoting ethics, respect, and equality in sport were discussed and adopted.
As a result of the initiative, there was a real change in the attitudes of participants, greater awareness of inclusion issues, and active interest on the part of sports clubs and institutions in sustainable actions in this area.
Some of the main publications and materials can be found here:
🔗 Major links to materials and publications:
🌐 Official site: https://bokaya.eu
📹 Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeiHA3Zh1b8
📹 Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8h-Lf_13UA
📰 Article 1: https://webdir.eu/?page=viewnews&id=188
📰 Article 2: https://webdir.eu/index.php?page=viewnews&id=204
Inc. №: EUV/227
Organization: Community Center Hristo Botev 1884 – Botevgrad
Place: Botevgrad
Name of the initiative: Changing the roles – Women’s kingdom
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 16000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The problem addressed by the initiative is related to existing gender stereotypes in society that limit people’s opportunities to pursue their interests and career goals, regardless of their gender. As a result, unequal treatment of men and women in different aspects of life is noticeable. The initiative aims to promote awareness and changes in attitudes towards gender stereotypes, especially among young people in Botevgrad municipality and the general public. The methods used to address the issue include a variety of approaches such as educational activities, encouraging critical thinking, holding discussions and promoting positive role models. The aim is to provoke dialogue and changes in the behavior and attitudes of participants, as well as to rethink existing stereotypes using performing arts, visual arts and educational activities. Expected results include increased awareness and changes in attitudes towards gender stereotypes among youth and society in Botevgrad municipality and surrounding settlements. The presentation of a photo exhibition, a play and educational meetings are expected to contribute to this process of change and awareness of the importance of gender equality.
Results: The initiative aimed at raising awareness and changing attitudes related to gender stereotypes in the professions among young people (12-18 years) living in the municipality of Botevgrad and among the public. A photo exhibition “Women in Botevgrad Municipality – 100 years ago and now” was organized and realized, dedicated to the role of women in the municipality over the last hundred years. The exposition included two sections – “The woman in the sphere of production” and “Gender equality in the labour process”, with archival and contemporary photos by Radoslav Marinov. Visitors could listen to audio commentaries via QR codes, and a digitized version of the exhibition was published online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ROshcoklR8&feature=youtu.be.
The opening of the exhibition included the premiere of the documentary “Careers have no gender” by Andrea Davidova, as well as a video compilation of photos taken by young people on the topic “Gender equality in professions” (https://youtu.be/KDX99NtOWWs). There was also a discussion on “Gender in the professions”.
The director Nikolay Naydenov adapted the play “Women’s Kingdom”, which included three main lines – a demonstration of gender supremacy on the part of men, a reversal of roles in favour of women, and a message of equality and respect for all. The play was performed in five locations. Three of the plays were followed by educational discussions on the theme of “Gender in the Professions”. The interest in the play was enhanced with a digital set and specialized equipment.
Another important activity was the discussion on “Gender divide and stereotypes in professions” through interactive educational theatre. The programme included two days of interactive sessions with young people aged 12-18. Participants were introduced to concepts such as discrimination, stereotypes and gender divide through non-formal education methods and theatre activities. They had the opportunity to reflect on notions of equality and participate in role plays, improvisations and other exercises inspired by the play “Women’s Kingdom”. Video summary of the initiative: see here.
Inc. №: EUV/209
Organization: Bulgarian Association of people with oncological and other diseases – Life Haskovo
Place: Haskovo
Name of the initiative: Rights of people with oncological diseases
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 10001.00 (EUR)
Resume: The Initiative focuses on improving access to information and support for people with cancer by collecting laws and regulations related to their health, social and labour rights. The aim is to address the discrimination that cancer patients often face in treatment, work and other aspects of their lives. Improved awareness of the types of discrimination and how to protect oneself is envisaged, as well as the provision of practical support through counselling and advice for cancer patients, especially in remote locations in the Haskovo region. A special training program and the publication of a handbook with legal regulations are some of the methods used to educate and inform people with cancer. It is also planned to conduct individual consultations with lawyers for cancer patients who face misconduct or discrimination. The initiative also plans to conduct an awareness campaign through various media channels and events to reach more cancer patients and the general public regarding cancer patients’ rights and protection. Expected outcomes include increased awareness and improved skills for cancer patients in protecting their rights, as well as establishing lasting partnerships and dialogue with local government and community.
Results: People with cancer need not only medical care, but also knowledge and protection of their rights.
The initiative focuses on raising awareness and protecting the rights of cancer patients in Bulgaria. Through training, consultations, and information campaigns, the initiative promotes equality and access to social, health, and labor rights, as well as protection from discrimination.
Main activities and results:
Four two-day training sessions were held in various remote, small, and ethnically mixed towns (Stambolovo, Topolovgrad, Ivaylovgrad, Haskovo), where 140 people were trained and given practical advice.
A “Handbook on the Rights of People with Cancer” (800 copies) was published, explaining the laws and how to seek social, health, and labor rights, the law on discrimination, and how to seek compensation for medical errors.
40 individual legal consultations were provided to resolve legal and social problems of cancer patients.
A broad information campaign was conducted – two press conferences, 16 media publications, 500 brochures distributed, 15 posters, publications on social networks.
Impact on the target group and the community:
The trained participants now know how to recognize, prevent, and protect themselves from discrimination. They gained knowledge about how to pursue medical malpractice cases.
People with cancer received real legal solutions to their cases, free of charge from a lawyer, and now know how to protect their interests.
Expanded partnership with local administrations and institutions for better support for people with cancer and assistance with any problems that arise.
Message:
„Every person has the right to a dignified life, health, and protection! We fight for the rights of cancer patients—because care is a right, not a privilege!“
https://www.bta.bg/bg/pressclub/archive/24284
Inc. №: EUV/232
Organization: Horizons Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://horizonti.bg/
Name of the initiative: Protection against violation of rights and unequal treatment of persons with disabilities
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 15001.40 (EUR)
Resume: The Horizons Foundation addresses the problem of people with disabilities in Bulgaria who face constant unequal treatment, violation of their rights, prejudice and stigmatization that lead to the violation of their dignity and social isolation. The aim of the initiative is to support people with disabilities who are victims of discrimination and rights violations by providing legal assistance and training to protect their rights. It is envisaged to provide legal advice to at least 100 persons with disabilities and to hold three training workshops with representatives of NGOs for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. These activities aim to raise awareness of national and international human rights instruments. Expected results include increased awareness about these rights among persons with disabilities and NGO representatives, increased capacity of Horizons Foundation to protect the interests of persons with disabilities, and wider dissemination of the values of respect for human dignity and equality in society.
Results: The objective of the initiative was to support victims of discrimination, hate crimes, and human rights violations. An important activity was the provision of consultations to 100 people with disabilities or their relatives on legal issues regarding their rights. The consultations covered various areas of rights violations of people with disabilities – financial support, social benefits, the right to retirement and pre-retirement, labor relations, independent exercise of rights, and more.
On the foundation’s website, 9 articles were published providing explanations regarding the most frequently consulted topics – financial support, retirement rights, types of pensions. The articles cover topics sensitive to all people with disabilities. Thanks to them, people with disabilities and their relatives better realize their rights and can take action in case of violations and to avoid unequal treatment.
Public events for parents with disabilities are organized | Horizons Foundation
Inc. №: EUV/221
Organization: Project NorthWest Foundation
Place: Lyutibrod
Web page: www.severozapad.net
Name of the initiative: Support for persons with mental suffering and intellectual disabilities in the Municipality of Mezdra
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 19000.00 (EUR)
Resume: People with intellectual disabilities and mental disorders, especially those living in small towns, are deprived of access to appropriate services and support. They are at risk of discrimination and abuse, and lack of identity documents prevents them from getting the medical and social care they need. The initiative aims to raise awareness in local communities of at least 17 villages and build capacity to respond to identified risk for people with intellectual and mental disabilities. In addition, the idea is to create a working model of support and demonstrate good practice for future use. The activities include the active participation of professionals from different fields who will be involved in the process of coordination and partnership with local authorities and communities. Meetings will be held with mayors, pensioner clubs and civic groups in the villages to build a joint inter-institutional model for supporting people with special needs. In addition, campaigns will be carried out to promote EU values and the rights of people with intellectual and mental disabilities. As an outcome of the initiative, it is expected that a working model for supporting vulnerable people in small villages will be developed, based on EU values and demonstrating good practice. Promoting these values among local communities and institutions will contribute to a better understanding and implementation of the rights of people with intellectual and mental disabilities.
Results: 34 information and consultation meeting in 29 settlements were held within the framework of the initiative. The local administrations, mayors, representatives of community centers and pensioners’ clubs were involved in them. The meetings reached a total of over 200 participants and covered 23 villages in the Municipality of Mezdra and another 6 from neighboring municipalities (Vratsa, Botevgrad, Svoge). The project and the opportunities it created for support of people with psychiatric problems were presented at these meetings. Data was collected from local sources and the implementation of EU principles and standards in everyday life encouraged.
A multi-institutional team was created, including representatives from the Municipality of Mezdra, the Social Assistance Directorate, the Regional Directorate of Social Assistance – Vratsa, the Ministry of Interior, the Mezdra General Hospital, and local NGOs. Nine coordination meetings were held, during which criteria for case selection and a standardized support plan were developed. Five cases were identified, with joint work undertaken in three of them: one case has been fully resolved, work is ongoing on the second, and the third is in the process of seeking a solution due to legal constraints.
Periodic media and online presence included over 5 media coverages and 10 social media posts. At the end of the project a collection of best practices with a print run of 50 copies was published and distributed among partners and institutions.
Publications:
https://severozapad.net/images/2025/Severozapad-Casestudy_2025.pdf
https://medianews.bg/bg/a/proekt-razrabotva-model-za-podkrepa-na-khora-s-intelektualni-zatrudneniya-v-mezdra
https://www.puls.bg/novini-i-sbitiia-c-2/fondatsiia-proekt-severozapad-izdade-knizhka-s-preporki-za-podkrepa-na-khorata-s-psikhichni-zaboliavaniia-n-53571https://bnr.bg/vidin/post/102125787/fondacia-proekt-severozapad-s-kniga-v-podkrepa-na-horata-s-psihichni-stradnia
Inc. №: EUV/235
Organization: Social Integration Initiative Foundation
Place: Sofia
Name of the initiative: Together with parents with disabilities
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 16999.09 (EUR)
Resume: The Social Integration Initiative Foundation found that parents with disabilities and their families face serious challenges in the process of raising their children due to the lack of adequate support from society and institutions. They are not recognized as a specific social group in the country’s policies and legislation. The initiative aims to highlight the problems faced by parents with disabilities and their families by conducting a sociological survey and formulating recommendations to public institutions. It also aims to increase the competence of parents through training workshops and to create conditions for improving their social status and the exercise of their parental rights. A sociological survey will be carried out with 200 people with disabilities and recommendations will be made to public institutions. The activities of the initiative are expected to stimulate the creation of conditions for communication, cooperation and organized action of parents with disabilities. This would lead to the possibility of formulating recommendations to public institutions to improve support for parents with disabilities and would increase the competences of parents. As a final result, the initiative will help to improve the social status and the exercise of parental rights of this vulnerable group of citizens.
Results: The aim of the initiative was to support victims of discrimination, hate crimes, and human rights violations. The initiative began with a study of the status of parents with disabilities in Bulgaria. A questionnaire was prepared, including 50 questions. A total of 143 respondents were surveyed – 60 of the questionnaires were completed online, and the remaining 83 on paper. In-depth interviews were also conducted with 15 parents with disabilities. After summarizing the survey results, a report was prepared with an analysis of the aggregated results from the survey and in-depth interviews. It contains recommendations for the responsible institutions.
Another main activity was organizing and conducting three training seminars with a total of 53 participants on topics related to the rights of families of people with disabilities, focusing on various legal acts with both international and national scope. In addition to the presentation of these topics, participants had the opportunity to become acquainted with the results of the study on the social status of parents with disabilities in Bulgaria conducted as part of the initiative.
By the end of June 2025, three public events were held at Pancharevo Lake, focusing on the community of parents with disabilities. More than 50 people participated in them – parents with disabilities, children, and volunteers.
Resources | Social Integration Initiative
https://fisibg.org/2025/03/26/anketa_za_socialnia_status_na_roditelite_s_uvrejdania
https://fisibg.org/2025/06/12/pokana-za-sabitiya-na-otkrito/