ACTIVE

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 2023 (deadline: 10 July 2023)
• Open invitation for artists and illustrators 2022  (deadline: 10 July 2022)

Timeline: February 2022 - December 2023 
Partners: Credo Bonum Foundation, Studio Komplekt, Association GID (City ideas and Design), Multi Kulti Collective
Funding: Sofia Municipality, Programme Culture and Bulgarian-American Credit Bank.

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:

• Flyer 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 February 2022 (in English and Bulgarian)

• 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)

The main objective of the project Youth Debating the Future of Europe is to encourage democratic and civic participation of young citizens and give them an opportunity to express their concerns and vision towards common challenges related to European identity, diversity and the future of Europe.

In the twenty-first century, Europe has reached a crisis point in the construction of European identity. The last years a number of events that took place across Europe have challenged the main idea and the founding values of the European Union: the Eurozone crisis, the migration crisis and Brexit have led to an increase of Euroscepticism. As a consequence of the harsh situations that Europe faces, it is time for European citizens and especially for younger ones who soon will have to face the consequences of today’s situation, to get actively involved in the process of strengthening the European consciousness regarding the European Union and its future and realize that only through cross-border cooperation achievements can be reached towards that direction.

The future of Europe and the assurance of the European societies’ well-being are highly connected with the development of common objective and stronger participation in the EU public sphere between the member-states.  The first step towards this direction has been done by the European Commission which has launched an open debate with the White Paper on the Future of Europe in order to provide opportunities to the citizens to discuss their concerns and their views for the future of Europe. Following this initiative, the project tends to give voice to young people from nine different European countries and provide them with the opportunity to express their concerns to the public sphere, to exchange their ideas, to produce their own suggestions and to generate a multicultural community dialogue concerning the future of Europe.

News and project developments:

• Final publication (June 2022)
• Sofia workshop (June 2022)
• Newsletter #3 (June 2022)
• Newsletter #2 (November 2021)
• Newsletter #1 (May 2020)

Time frame: March 2020 – August 2022
Partners: Athens Network of Collaborating Experts (Greece) – leading partner), NOUS (Italy), Clube Intercultural Europeu (Portugal), Cross Cultural Bridges (Netherlands), Collegium for the Management and Design of Sustainable Development (KMGNE) (Germany), UNITED for Intercultural Action (Hungary), Young European Leadership (Belgium), Teleduca (Spain), Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria)
Funding: European Commission, Europe for Citizens Programme

The aim of the project Active European Citizens against Hate Speech is to raise awareness of the new generation of European citizens about the impact of hate speech on democratic participation and European values. Hate speech is often used as a tool to target different vulnerable groups, especially minorities, immigrants and refugees. It causes their alienation and exclusion which leads to marginalisation. Such narratives weaken democracy and strengthen positions of far-right and radical right populists and Eurosceptics.

The project will focus on the promotion of such democratic values such as civic and political participation, peaceful coexistence and diversity. Especially emphasizing the participation of new citizens (immigrants) and other minorities. The project activities will raise citizens’ awareness about the harmful impact of hate speech, promote European values and strengthen solidarity among young people through debates, networking and human rights education.

The key activities and outcomes of the project are:

1. Research on the impact of hate speech on Euroscepticism and xenophobia in the EU, and in project partner countries in particular, and recommendations on how to decrease it;
2. An international meeting of stakeholders and experts to discuss good practices and challenges in each partner country;
3. 2 local events focusing on the roots and consequences of hate speech, its impact on Euroscepticism and perception of European values, and the effective ways how to empower the young generation to tackle hate speech and promote civic and political participation;
4. An international conference with participation of young people, minority representatives, stakeholders, experts, NGOs, and policy makers to present the outcomes of the project and discuss further challenges that need to be addressed on EU level;
5. Dissemination of the project objectives, activities and results through different communication channels.

Project news:

• Final report on all project activities (August 2022)
• The Bulgarian report Hate Speech and Euroscepticism in Bulgaria was published (August 2022)
• The European report Hate, Euroscepticism, Citizenship: The Youth Connection was published (August 2022)
• The international conference "Tackling the Impact of Hate Speech on Our Lives and Society: A Comprehensive Approach Towards Prevention of Hate Involving Policy Makers and Young People" was held in Cluj (25 June 2022)
• The seminar "Migration and Refugees - Media Coverage and Prevention of Hate Speech" was held in Sofia (23 June 2022)
• A youth anti-hate speech workshop was held in Sofia (17 May 2022)
• A youth anti-hate speech workshop was held in Veliko Tarnovo (15 May 2022)
• A youth anti-hate speech workshop was held online for EU citizens living in Bulgaria (10 and 12 May 2022)
• A youth workshop on developing anti-hate speech campaigns was held for communication students at Sofia University (9 April 2022)
• An international interactive seminar "Active European Citizens Against Hate Speech" was held online (5 October 2021)

Time frame: March 2020 – August 2022
Partners: Latvian Human Rights Centre (Latvia) – leading partner, Participation for All (Latvia), Estonian Human Rights Centre (Estonia), Human Rights Monitoring Institute (Lithuania), Human Rights House Zagreb (Croatia), Peace Action Training and Research Institute of Romania – PATRIR (Romania), Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria)
Funding: European Commission, Europe for Citizens Programme

Head image: Rositsa Raleva for Fine Acts

The project (Y)our Europe?!: Enhancing the sense of European belonging of young migrant leaders aims at increasing the knowledge and feeling of belonging to Europe for 36 migrant and local youth in three countries – Italy, Bulgaria and Germany – as well as empowering them to realize their own ideas about Europe in their local communities. The young people with migrant background can be asylum seekers, recognized refugees or third country nationals who live in the respective country for the purpose of working, studying, etc. for whom the European idea seems vague and not related to their lives. The process of strengthening their European belonging will be supported through participation in a 9-month program. It includes a selection and needs assessment process, preparatory kick-off national meeting, an innovative international 6-day European citizens training in Germany, a national Idea Lab for developing European project ideas, a public pitching event and competing for seed funding, a project implementation and mentoring phase for at least 10 projects as well as a final event to celebrate their success and lessons learned. The national and international network created n the project will support the two-way integration between the migrant and local youth and will strengthen their connections with local stakeholders such as their mentors coming from the representation offices of the European institutions, PR, business, culture, the Robert Bosch Alumni network, etc. Their pilot projects will be covered in local and national media through media partnerships realized within the project. The project aims at providing knowledge, skills, networks, financial and mentoring support for young leader from the migrant and local communities to explore and realize their ideas about a better Europe and engage their peers to participate in their initiatives at local level. As a result a stronger affiliation with the European idea will be established as well as a sense of ownership and belonging.

Project news and products:

• Final event (4 Dec 2019) – event photos | photo booth pictures
• Youth-led storytelling evening (28 Nov 2019) – FB event | photos
• Youth-led workshop on zero waste cooking (27 Nov 2019) – FB event | photos
• Youth-led workshop on natural cosmetics and EU’s role in promoting environmental policies (21 Nov 2019) – FB event | photos
• Migrant and Bulgarian Youth: Ideas about Europe: A Pitch event (25 Sept 2019) – FB event | photos
• Training in Germany (24-29 July 2019)
• The selected participants from Bulgaria
• Call for participants from Bulgaria

Time frame: 15 March – 15 December 2019
Partners: migration_miteinander (Germany) – leading partner, Associazione Interculturale Universo (Italy), Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria)
Funding: Robert Bosch Foundation

Diverse together – sharing bread and stories is a partner project of Bread Houses Network and Multi Kulti Collective as part of which the citizens of Plovdiv, Varna and Sofia will rediscover the cultural diversity of their cities. Between March and June 2019 each of the three biggest Bulgarian cities will host three open culinary events. During the events foreign chefs will not only present recipes for bread and pastry products but will also share their Bulgarian story – what brought them to Bulgaria and what motivated them to stay here. While revealing why they chose to live here and what attracts them to this country, the chefs will share funny stories of being a foreigner in “our world” as well as what are the challenges they need to face. Each event will be open for 30 participants, who’ll follow the recipes of the chefs to prepare the dishes and will be actively engaged in the discovery of their stories and cultures. One third of the participants will be from unprivileged groups and the entrance for them will be free.

News and updates:

• Home-made Italian pasta (17 August 2019, Varna)
• Lebanese bread (16 August 2019, Varna)
• Lebanese starters with Salha and Rim (11 July 2019, Sofia)
• Traditional Italian bread with Carlo Tonelli (6 July 2019, Varna)
• Raspberry Pie with Casey Angelova from USA (22 June 2019, Sofia)
• Italian Pasta with Florian (20 June 2019, Plovdiv)
• Yorkshire Pudding with Strawberries and Cream with Keith Kelley (18 May 2019, Plovdiv)
• India naan cooking class (9 May 2019, Plovdiv)
• Lebanese class with Hany Tawk (23 April 2019, Sofia)

Time frame: February – July 2019
Partners: Bread Houses Network (leading partner), Multi Kulti Collective
Funding: Plovdiv 2019

The research project Experience of Integration – Migrant Workers’ Perspective – What Helps the Integration of Migrant Workers in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria? aims to understand more about policies on migrants’ employment and integration in four Central-Eastern European countries, as well as to identify effective policies which are encouraging migrants to stay in these countries (and not to go further to Western Europe).

The project achieves these through learning more about possible entry points for legal immigration with a particular emphasis on migrants’ perspectives – motives for immigrating, working conditions, relationship to the new country and community etc. The research aims to provide relevant information and guidance for policy recommendations: the chosen countries are all struggling with serious labour market shortages while simultaneously their governments are proposing a rather repressive stance on immigration – What could be those immigration policies that address the increasing labour demand while also respecting the sensitivity of the issue.

The results will be presented in a country report for each country and a concluding study, and policy recommendations will be prepared both on the national and EU levels.

See the Bulgarian report here (in English and Bulgarian). 

Time frame: February 2019 – February 2020
Partners: Menedek (Hungary) – leading partner, University of Warsaw (Poland), Romanian Institute for Research on National Minorities (Romania), Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria)
Funding: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Budapest