This new initiative is supported under the “PACT” project and will be implemented in six schools across the country.The United Nations Association of Bulgaria (UNA Bulgaria), in partnership with Partners Bulgaria Foundation, Chance and Protection Association in the city of Haskovo, and Nevrokop Association in the village of Dolno Dryanovo, are launching the implementation of the initiative “European Values, Rights and Virtues” within the framework of the project “Partnership among Civil Society Organizations for Impact on Rights and Values” (PACT project).

The initiative will offer training and informational resources presenting the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU as a “positive moral code” for young Europeans. Knowledge of the Charter will help young people understand the role of the EU in promoting values that contribute to building a universal culture of human rights.

Work will be carried out through a network of student clubs to promote the Charter and the value it brings to Bulgarian citizens. Through learning by doing and creativity, participants will develop an understanding of European values as a framework for more active participation of young people in democratic processes. The results will be presented to local communities and will become part of the content of a specialized web page illustrating connections within the international human rights system.

Partnership is essential for the initiative. UNA Bulgaria provides sustainable contacts within a national network of UN student clubs, strategically divided into regional networks with their own agendas for local communities. Cooperation with well-established non-governmental organizations at national and local levels is not only a guarantee for the success of the planned activities but also a prerequisite for long-term networking effects.

The project will be implemented over a period of 12 months and will include one national seminar, one summer school, two regional seminars, and field activities in six schools, each focusing on one of the six sections of the Charter, reflecting values such as dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, citizenship, and justice.

“This document (or other product) has been created within the framework of the initiative ‘European Values, Rights and Virtues’, funded by the European Union and the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), or the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation. Neither the European Union, nor EACEA, nor the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation can be held responsible for them.”