The Socio-cultural integration for refugee women and children from Ukraine project promotes the socio-cultural integration of refugee women and children from Ukraine, creates connections between newcomers and the host society and raises public awareness of forced migration by countering discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech. The project builds on the A Nice Day initiative, aimed at refugee women and children from Ukraine, which received the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee Human of the Year 2022 grand prize.

The first activity involves organizing 15 socio-cultural events for refugee women and children from Ukraine. Children and women of other nationalities are also invited to them in order to promote mutual integration between the two groups. Community events encourage participants to communicate, learn about each other and spend time in a safe environment. Examples include creative evenings, literary readings, art workshops, wool felting, cooking, visits to cultural and historical landmarks, etc.

The second activity envisages communication activities aimed at Bulgarian society, which give visibility to refugees and their successful integration.

Time frame: November 2024 – August 2025
Funding: Bulgarian Fund for Women

The project U4EU 2.0: Youth Shaping Europe's Tomorrow is the successor to the project U4EU: Youth Debating the Future of Europe (2020-2022). U4EU 2.0 continues its mission to empower young people to actively shape the future of Europe, with a primary focus on enhancing youth engagement, democratic participation, and policy advocacy. U4EU 2.0 features a series of youth summits, thematic workshops, training sessions, policy development, and advocacy efforts conducted in nine EU countries. These activities address critical challenges faced by young people, including limited engagement in policy-making, awareness gaps regarding EU institutions and policies, digital literacy deficiencies, and disparities in gender and diversity participation. 

Through transnational collaboration and leveraging insights from extensive research and prior experience, U4EU 2.0 equips young participants with essential skills, knowledge, and opportunities to become active stakeholders in shaping a more inclusive and democratic Europe. U4EU 2.0 is not just a finite endeavor; it aims to leave a lasting legacy of informed, engaged, and empowered young citizens who continue to advocate for positive change in Europe. By promoting youth participation, strengthening democratic values, and fostering inclusive policies, U4EU 2.0 is a beacon of hope for a brighter European future. The project intends to promote a greater sense of belonging to the EU and its core values among young Europeans. 

Project developments:

• Youth Summit on the Future of Europe (Athens, 8 July 2024)

• Newsletter #1 (May 2024)

Time frame: May 2024 – April 2026 
Partners: ANCE (Greece) – leading partner, NOUS (Italy), Clube Intercultural Europeu (Portugal), Cross Cultural Bridges (Netherlands), KMGNE (Germany), UNITED for Intercultural Action (Hungary), VOLONTEUROPE (Belgium), Associació Mitjans - Xarxa d'Educadors i Comunicadors (Spain), Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria)
Funding: European Commission, Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme

The project "No Racism in the Election Campaign for the European Parliament" of Multi Kulti Collective aims to raise awareness and discuss the harmful effects of racism in various social aspects, incl. as a pre-election political tool in the Bulgarian political campaigns and especially in the light of the upcoming European elections. The project seeks to strengthen European values and defend human rights. It also consolidates the efforts of institutions, civil society and the media to prevent racism, xenophobia and discrimination in the political campaign for the European elections.

The rationale for the project is based on the study "Hate Speech and Euroscepticism in Bulgaria" published by Multi Kulti Collective in 2022. It examines the links between hate speech, discrimination and racism and Euroscepticism (soft and hard). The document demonstrates that vulnerable groups such as Roma, migrants, refugees, people of colour are the most frequent targets of Eurosceptic political parties.

The project had three main activities:

• An outdoor photo exhibition in front of the National Theater in Sofia (30 April - 14 May 2024) will give a voice to Bulgarians and foreigners who oppose racism and send a message in support of human rights, democracy and diversity. These are both victims of racism and prominent figures from public life such as Instagram influencers, pop stars, prominent media figures, respected intellectuals, etc. The photographer of the exhibition is Krasimir Dimitrov. (UPDATE: The team managed to organize a second show for the exhibition. Thanks to cooperation with Sofia Municipality – Oboriste District, First English Language School and 112 Stoyan Zaimov School the exhibition was presented at the Pop-up Gallery on the Fence of the First English Language School and 112 Stoyan Zaimov School (60 Knyaz Aleksandar Dondukov Blvd., Sofia) between 22 May – 10 June 2024.)
• A communication campaign in 10 key media partners and social media, where the personal stories of the participants find a place.
• A community event to consolidate the efforts made by stakeholders from the institutions, civil society and media. 

The exhibition is proud to be carried out under the patronage of the European Parliament. 

The project addresses the European elections and encourages voting, but does NOT take political positions and does NOT call for support for specific parties.

News and Updates:

• Video on Deutsche Welle Bulgaria (10 June 2024)
• Photos from the community event Tea Ceremony Against Racism in the EU (4 June 2024)
• Facebook event for the community event Tea Ceremony Against Racism in the EU (4 June 2024)
• Article in Vagabond Magazine (28 May 2024)
• Photos from the second exhibition (22 May 2024) - the vernissage was cancelled last minute due to a storm 
• Facebook event for the exhibition at the Pop-up Gallery on the Fence of the First English Language School and 112 Stoyan Zaimov School (22 May – 10 June 2024)
• Presentation of the stories, Open Sofia (20 May 2024)
• Interview on Darik Radio (12 May 2024)
• Interview on the Bulgarian National Radio - Radio Sofia (8 May 2024)
• Vernissage photos from the first photo exhibition (30 April 2024)
• Facebook event for the exhibition in front of the National Theatre (30 April - 14 May 2024)
• Interview on the Bulgarian National Radio - Programme Horizon (30 April 2024)
• Interview on the Bulgarian National Radio - Programme Hristo Botev (29 April 2024)
• Interview on Bulgarian National Radio - Radio Blagoebgrad (19 April 2024)

Time Frame: February - June 2024 
Partners: Sofia Municipality
Funding: European Network Against Racism ENAR
Patronage: The exhibition is carried out under the patronage of the European Parliament. 

The project puts Sofia on the world map by including it in a global visual initiative - creating a collection of covers of the imaginary magazine The Sofianer as a tribute to the iconic covers of The New Yorker magazine. The cities that have so far created their own visual interpretations are Paris, Tokyo, Montreal, Shanghai, Brussels and Milan. The project envisages involving the best artists in Bulgaria through an open invitation on how they see Sofia, presenting their work in an exhibition in physical and online environments and initiating a public debate on the past, present and future of the capital.

Project website

• Open invitation for artists and illustrators 2024 (deadline: 15 July 2024)
• 2023 Winners: Vyara Boyadjieva and Ivet Nyagolova (video)
• 2023 Winners: Nikolay Petroussenko and Sibila Kerelezova (video)
• 2023 Official Opening - 11 September 2023 (photos)
• Open invitation for artists and illustrators 2023 (deadline: 10 July 2023)
• 2022 Official Opening - 16 September 2022 (photos)
• Open invitation for artists and illustrators 2022 (deadline: 10 July 2022)

Timeline: February 2022 - December 2024 
Partners: Credo Bonum Foundation, Multi Kulti Collective
Funding: Sofia Municipality, Bulgarian-American Credit Bank, US Embassy in Bulgaria, Mastercard, 5l speakeasy bar

The project Preventing Racism and Discrimination – Enabling the Effective Implementation of the EU Anti-Racist Legal Framework (PERSERVERE) is concerned with fighting intolerance, racism, xenophobia and discrimination against vulnerable ethnic and racial groups and, in particular, Roma, Jews, Muslims and people of African descent. Starting from the premise that any system tasked with protecting the vulnerable from discrimination must, first and foremost, rely on an effective legal framework, the project implements activities concerned with the better enforcement of the law. It undertakes research in 7 partner countries and develops educational material and tools that will be used to educate legal professionals (judges, lawyers, prosecutors) and frontline workers (legal officers in prisons, the police, social services, reception asylum centres and border control authorities etc) on how to use the nationally transposed European framework on anti-racism. Relying on desktop and fieldwork research, the project will produce a series of deliverables that meet this objective, including:

• an e-book identifying any gaps in the law and legal practice in both the European level and national levels of the 7 partner countries;

• a training toolkit that will be used to educate at least 210 legal professionals and 210 frontline workers, while also reach at least 70 trainers/educators in the 7 partner countries; and

• a series of white papers recommending changes to the European and national laws and procedures to ensure that these are fit for the purpose of fighting racism and protecting members of victimised ethnic and racial groups.

News and project developments:

• The PRESERVERE Project Implementation: Lessons Learned and Recommendations (in English and Bulgarian) 

• Common Report on the Implementation of Learning and Training Activities in 6 European Countries (in English)

• Online Learning Platform (in English and Bulgarian)

• Flyer # 4 - January 2024 (in English and Bulgarian)

• Flyer # 3 - December 2023 (in English and Bulgarian)

• PRESERVERE Training Toolkit (in English and Bulgarian)

• Flyer #2 - February 2023 (in English and Bulgarian)

• Comparative report The implementation of the EU anti-racism legal framework in 6 European states: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, and the Netherlands 

• National report Transposition and implementation of the EU anti-racism legal framework in Bulgaria 

• All national reports (Cyprus, Italy, Malta, Greece, Netherlands)

• Flyer #1 - February 2022 (in English and Bulgarian)

• LinkedIn page

• Facebook page

Time frame: February 2022 - January 2024
Partners: Cooperativa Sociale San Saturnino Onlus (Italy) - leading partner, UClan Cyprus (Cyprus), Lai-Momo Societa' Cooperativa Sociale (Italy), Kentro Evropaikou Syntagmatikou Dikaio Idryma Themistokli Kai Dimitri Tsatsou (Greece), CSI Center For Social Innovation (Cyprus), The People for Change Foundation (Malta), Stichting Hogeschool Van Amsterdam (Netherlands), Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria)
Funding: European Commission, Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV)