“Student guard units of Bulgaria no longer have boundaries,” shared Dr. Denislava Angelova.
A concluding press conference regarding the implementation of the project “Young People and Social Inclusion in the Multicultural City” was held at the BTA Press Club in Pleven. The media was addressed by Dr. Denislava Angelova, Chair of the “Youth Guard Units” Association; Viorel Giti, Chair of “Acches” – Călărași, Romania; Dimitar Mitev, Principal of Ivan Vazov Secondary School; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anelia Rangelova, psychologist; Nikolay Matev, leader of the Sixth Student Guard Unit at Hristo Botev Secondary School in Aytos; Col. Iliya Milushev, presidential advisor; Sergeant Dimitar Borisov from the National Guard Corps; Lt. Teodor Mihail-Petrișor, representative of the Romanian Guard Unit; and Bogdan Bogatu, a history teacher from Romania.
The project “Young People and Social Inclusion in the Multicultural City” by the Bulgarian Association “Youth Guard Detachments” and the Romanian Association ACCES, implemented with the financial support of the “Erasmus+” Program, Youth Sector, contract number 2020-2-BG01-KA105-079362, has enabled 50 young people from Aytos and Călărași to acquire new skills and competencies while also aiding in social cohesion.
“We provided the Romanian non-governmental organization with a good example of how we created and developed the youth guard squads in Bulgaria. The Sixth Student Guard Squad at ‘Hristo Botev’ Secondary School in Aytos, led by Nikolay Matev, served as an example. We spent ten days together, during which time representatives of both guard units worked with the children on drill training. We also underwent military training. We had lessons on the history of Bulgaria and Romania, and visited historical landmarks in Razgrad and Pleven, as the project is taking place in these two cities. We worked with them on their skills to manage their emotions and find the leader within themselves,” recounted Dr. Denislava Angelova. “The intercultural dialogue that emerged among the youth and the discussion of the lifestyle in both countries were very beneficial. During these ten days, we observed how the children grew. They showed mutual interest in the history of Bulgaria and Romania and managed to enrich their knowledge, which we consider an added bonus. There was a meaningful cultural exchange between the two nations, during which Bulgaria set a positive example from a youth perspective—how we engage with activities and where young people belong in society. Modern society needs these young individuals to be active and thoughtful,” Dr. Denislava Angelova added.
She recounted that in Pleven, every morning, children and young people had the opportunity to engage in sports and train with Olympic wrestling medalist Elitsa Yankova, while the international chess master Tsveta Galunova helped them develop their thinking, which later proved beneficial in enhancing their drill skills. In Razgrad, the focus was on sports activities based on the champion team Ludogorets. They learned important things about healthy eating and had the opportunity to find dialogue between the two countries through folk dances.
Viorel Ghita shared that he knows Bulgaria quite well, but he’s glad that his children also had the chance to get acquainted with our culture and traditions, as well as to interact with their Bulgarian peers. According to him, the students managed to become friends, which is the best testament to a job well done. Ghita added that he already has ideas for more future joint initiatives between the two organizations. “We learned a lot from the Bulgarian guard units and will do our best to implement it in Romania,” he assured.
Some of the young people attended the press conference and shared that they are extremely grateful to be part of the “Youth and Social Inclusion in the Multicultural City” project, as the past 10 days have brought them unforgettable emotions and experiences.
“The initiative for the Youth Guard Units has been ongoing for some time, but with the beginning of President Radev’s term, he agreed to take it under his patronage, leading to its rather rapid development. Things are progressing well. The children are satisfied, and I am glad that our neighbors from Romania also see something positive. In this global world, it is important to preserve our national identity,” noted Col. Milushev. “This is a patriotic initiative that works towards the patriotic education of the youth,” he remarked.
“We already have over 420 children in the guards. Tomorrow we will establish the 12th student guard unit in the country, in Pavlikeni. The project is positive and we should develop it further. I hope to include other neighboring countries as well, as there is interest from Greece,” revealed Dr. Denislava Angelova. “I am grateful to the Romanian guard unit because they embraced the idea wholeheartedly, as did the Ambassador of Romania and the military attaché. This project is driven by passion, not obligation. The truth is, for the student guard units of Bulgaria, there are no borders anymore. This initiative has already taken on a life of its own,” shared Dr. Angelova, citing the unit in Kardzhali, which has already won several international awards.
At “Ivan Vazov” Secondary School in Pleven, where the second student guard orchestra in the country was established in 2018, the concluding event of the project “Young People and Social Inclusion in the Multicultural City” will take place this evening at 6:00 PM. Certificates will be awarded to the participants, and the Romanian unit will receive its flag.
