ЕU CHILDOCRACY: Project progress

ЕU CHILDOCRACY: We are embarking on an exciting project to explore EU values through the lense of the future of the EU – the young Europeans

Achievements in 2024

In September 2024, together with our partners from Greece – European Public Law Organization, and Italy – PRISM Impresa Sociale, we launched the EU CHILDOCRACY project. The activities in Bulgaria are implemented by the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law.

In November-December 2024 were conducted the first series of workshops for children and young people from our partner schools – 157^th Secondary School (Sofia) and Neofit Rilski School (village of Dermantsi, Lukovit), as well as the National Youth Forum (Sofia). A total of 61 students participated in these workshops, which combined learning about EU values with a gamification approach to make these values more relatable to the participants’ own needs.

The workshops on EU rights and local needs were conducted with a diverse group of participants:

11 November 2024, Sofia: 22 students from Cesar Vallejo 157th Secondary School in Sofia (grades 10, 11, and 12).
2 December 2024, Dermantsi: 24 students from Neofit Rilski United School (grades 7, 8, and 9).
14 December 2024, Sofia: 15 participants, including students and young people from the National Youth Forum (students and youth activists).

The EU Childocracy workshops on needs and rights delivered an interactive series of events that engaged young people across several locations in Bulgaria to explore local challenges through EU values and avenues for democratic participation.

In keeping with the project’s philosophy of child participation, the over 180 participating students determined the project logo. BCNL communication team designed five logo options and the children voted for the winning option via an online form accessible through a QR code during the respective workshops in each country. This process mirrored the informal adoption of the motto of the European Union, Unity in Diversity, in 2000 through student participation from the (then) 15 EU member states.

During the workshops sessions led by experts such as Dr. Venelin Stoychev and BCNL’s legal expert Zahari Iankov, the participants were introduced to the EU core values, different mechanisms for citizen-led participation, and real-life examples of civic engagement, like the European Citizens Initiative.

Each of the three workshops in Bulgaria was tailored to the local context, ensuring that participants could reflect on specific community challenges and brainstorm actionable solutions. For instance, students in Sofia and Dermantsi engaged in debates about the practical implications of EU policies, while also discussing their own roles in fostering social change. These discussions were complemented by interactive Q&A sessions, small-group tasks, and plenary debates that encouraged critical thinking and active involvement. The workshops also facilitated an exchange of ideas between students, youth activists, and educators, promoting a collaborative approach to understanding rights and responsibilities.

The workshops also carried out a module on EU Rights. Lead by BCNL legal expert Zahari Iankov, these sessions showcased real-life examples of civic engagement within EU governance, like the European Citizens Initiative. They also discussed issues of freedom of expression, SLAPPs as a way to stifle civic activism, and how to organize in order to ensure participation in democracy. Participants were given assess through a QR code to user-friendly materials on EU. Their teachers were given a larger toolkit with materials to be used in civics education classes, including videos, online quizzes, and the European Democracy Toolkit in Bulgarian. The workshops concluded with surveys that gathered feedback from participants, ensuring their voices informed the next stages of the project. The sessions were widely publicised on social media platforms and through partner organisations, with participants and schools sharing their experiences online. Posts highlighted key moments, from the enthusiastic discussions to the final reflections, showcasing how young people embraced the opportunity to learn and contribute. These events demonstrated the transformative power of youth participation, laying the foundation for future project activities and emphasizing the importance of rights-based education in fostering empowered, informed citizens.

Gallery from the workshops:

The project is funded by the European Union. The activities are implemented by the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law, the European Public Law Organization, and PRISM Impresa Sociale. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.