Twenty-five young political and civil leaders from the National Program, Class 2011 took part in the 6th Summer University for Democracy, organized in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe between 27th and 29th June.

The main topic for this year was “Ethics and Politics”. More than 400 representatives from the Network of the Schools of Political Studies at the Council of Europe from Russia, Georgia, Moldova, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Albania and Belarus took part in the discussions.

Three representatives from National Program 2011 – Seval Mustanova, Atanas Zaforov and Plamen Tzarnoretchky, participated in the first of series seminars, organized by the Moscow School of Political Studies. The topic was “Law, politics, economy and media” and the event took place between 5th and 11th June. 135 representatives from the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine and Croatia, as well as from Moscow School Alumni attended it.

Two initiatives celebrating the Children’s Day – 1st June organized the children from Nezabravka Orphanage in Stara Zagora as part of the project “Young Leaders Assisting the Social Integration of Children from Institutions. On 16th May into the Archeological Corner of the Imperia restaurant in Stara Zagora a charity exhibition with an auction named “Spring spirit” was opened. The artworks are of painted glass and were made by the children from the social institution with the help of an art-therapist working with them under the project. On 30th May in Kliment Ohridski Cultural Center the children from “Nezabravka” performed into a musical “Children and We”.

The unique experience of the Bulgarian School of Politics with training young political and civic leaders was presented by Julian Popov - Chairman of the Board of Directors of the School, at the international conference “Central and Eastern Europe’s Transition and Change in the Middle East”. He introduced the participants with the Network of the Schools of Political Studies at the Council of Europe and highlighted their role for encouraging pluralism, human rights protection and rule of law.

Programs of the Bulgarian School of Politics, practical results and benefits from the trainings discussed the director of the America for Bulgaria Foundation - Chris J. Matlon, the Executive Director of the School – Irina Alexieva, and graduates from different Classes. The meeting took place on 2nd May and Lenko Lenkov, Director, Programs for Civil Society, America for Bulgaria Foundation, Elisaveta Petrova, Hristo Panchugov, Gergana Alexova and Ilian Tochev from Classes 2010 and 2011 of the National Program and Ikmal Jomova, graduate of the Regional Program, Class 2010 also participated in it.

Next meeting from the Initiative “European Debates”, organized by the Bulgarian School of Politics and the EC Representation in Bulgaria, will take place on 19th April. The goal of the Initiative is to give a floor to young Bulgarian political and civil leaders, graduated the School programmes, to actively participate into the debate for the future of Europe and to provoke a broad public discussion on topics key for Bulgaria and European Union, as well as to initiate development and application of new policies.

The Charity evening of the Class 2011 of the Bulgarian School of Politics took place in Pravets on 19th March. Donations for activities with children from the Social Institution for Children with Disabilities in Vidrare, the Center for Family Type Accommodation in Velingrad and the Orphanage in Stara Zagora, as well as for the Cause of the Class 2011 – “Tolerance”, which focuses on civic education of students and young people in Bulgaria, were collected. A total of 10 695 leva were raised. During the Evening, an exhibition with 30 items, made by the children from the three social institutions, was organized. The items were then sold as part of the auction.

The next meeting from the initiative “European debates”, organized by the Bulgarian School of Politics and the EC Representation in Bulgaria, took place on 09th March. At the beginning, Zinaida Zlatanova, Head of the Representation, welcomed the participants and explained how the idea for this initiative was born. The special guest – Tomislav Donchev, Minister in charge of EU funds management, shared the governmental ideas about the priorities in the cohesion policy for the next budget period. As his personal ambition, he said that it is not sufficient just to observe the debate into the European Union about the cohesion policy but to actively participate in it, so as Bulgaria to be able to protect its interests and positions.