On January 15 at 1:00 PM, the First National Meeting of Schools with Student, University, and Children’s Guard Units and Orchestras was held at the Youth Center in Plovdiv, organized by the “Youth Guard Units” Association.
The event brought together representatives from all guard units in the country—school directors, unit and orchestra leaders, as well as representatives from municipalities, state institutions, and the civic sector. For the first time, a national platform for direct dialogue was established, dedicated to the role of guard units as a practical form of civic, value-based, and patriotic education.
The meeting was opened by the association’s chairperson, Denislava Angelova, and Jem Yumerov, a member of the governing body, who emphasized the need for a sustainable network between schools, municipalities, and institutions, as well as the importance of guard units in nurturing responsible and active young citizens.
During the discussions, the following were addressed:
• the role of guard units in the education system and youth policies;
• regulatory, organizational, and financial matters;
• opportunities for institutional partnership;
• Initiating the organization of the National Review of Guard Units.
The first national meeting of schools with student, university, and children’s guard units and orchestras was attended by representatives from the legislative, executive, and presidential institutions, clearly demonstrating the high level of state support for the guard movement in Bulgaria.
Among the official guests were Rositsa Kirova, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Civic Participation, and Krasimir Valchev, Minister of Education and Science, who emphasized the significance of the guard units as part of the educational mission of Bulgarian schools and as a practical form of civic education.
The meeting also included Tanya Mihaylova, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Education and Science, with a focus on the need for institutional consistency and coordination between policies and practice.
An official guest from the Ministry of Youth and Sports was Petar Mladenov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, who outlined the role of the guard units in youth policy, volunteering, and active citizenship.
The meeting was also attended by Col. Petar Kindalov, commander of the National Guard Unit, in connection with the tradition, continuity, and preparation for the National Review of the Guard Units.
Among the official guests was Iliya Milushev, the President’s advisor on defense and security, whose participation highlighted the fact that the activities of the youth guard units are conducted under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and hold significant national importance.
The discussions also included Rangel Raychev, Chief Expert in the “Organization and Control” Directorate, Kosta Kostov, State Expert in the “Preschool and School Education Content” Directorate, as well as Ivan Popov, Executive Director of the Executive Agency “Education Program.”
The meeting was also supported by Nikolay Spasov, Director of the Human Resource Development Center, and Monika Yanakieva, Director of the “Selection, Contracting and Reporting” Directorate. They presented funding opportunities and program support for educational and youth initiatives.
Representatives from the “Youth Policies” Directorate of the Ministry of Youth and Sports participated.
Diana Alexandrova and Stanislava Kostova actively participated in the discussion on the sustainable development of youth organizations and guard squads on a national level.
The minister and all the official guests directly answered questions from the directors and association representatives, with the conversation being open, specific, and solution-oriented.
The meeting was conducted in a productive yet warm, collaborative atmosphere, marked by mutual respect and clearly expressed support for the guard units. A strong start was made on a national platform for dialogue and cooperation, aimed at ensuring sustainability, visibility, and national recognition for the guard movement in Bulgaria.
The first national meeting showed that when schools, municipalities, and institutions speak the same language, the future of young people has a clear direction.
During the meeting, a new strategic partnership with David Professional was announced. As part of this partnership, all guard units received personal discount cards, which will provide preferential terms and long-term support for their activities. The partnership was presented as an example of real business commitment to the youth and civic causes of the guard movement.
The meeting also served as a platform to introduce a new national initiative by the association—the podcast “Guardians of Honor,” presented by Petya Kachakova. The podcast will be produced in partnership with the Bulgarian National Radio and will focus on values, traditions, civic responsibility, and personal examples of people associated with the guard units, education, and service to society.
These new initiatives clearly demonstrated that the “Youth Guard Squads” Association is expanding its activities—not only through national meetings and events but also through sustainable partnerships and modern communication formats that give voice and visibility to the guards’ cause throughout Bulgaria.
