In Pleven, the project “Young People – the Future of Bulgaria – Speak” (№ 2022-3-BG01-KA154-YOU-000102860) was officially launched. It is funded by the Erasmus+ Program, Key Activity 1: Educational Mobility for Citizens, through the “Youth Guard Units” Association, chaired by Dr. Denislava Angelova.
The host of the first event—a debate on the topic “Sport or Not”—was the First Student Guard Brass Band from Ivan Vazov Secondary School in Pleven. More than 70 young people from Ivan Vazov Secondary School and Georgi Benkovski Sports School in Pleven participated in the event.
The students were welcomed by the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Petar Georgiev, who thanked them for the invitation and the opportunity to be part of the event and to hear the voices of young people. He wished all participants in the debate much success not only in sports but also throughout their life journey.
Special guests and active participants in the discussion included Olympic champions Madlen Radukanova and Laura Traats, world boxing champion Detelin Dalakliev, two-time Bulgarian football champion Svetoslav Barkanichkov, wrestling legend Tsolo Bozhilsky, president of KBI “Petromax” and vice president of the BNFK Rusalin Rusalinov, BC Spartak manager Bogdan Petkov, rhythmic gymnastics coaches Tatyana Dimitrova and Yanita Dimitrova, and Svetlin and Radostin Shindovi.from the Wrestling Sports Club “Pleven” and others. Acting as the host was the popular sports journalist Elena Yarumova.
All participants in the debate were divided into two teams: “Olympic Spirit,” captained by Madlen Radukanova and Laura Traats, and the other, “Lion Hearts,” led by Detelin Dalakliev and Svetoslav Barkanichkov. Assisting the teams were the principals of SU “Ivan Vazov” and SU “Georgi Benkovski” – Dimitar Mitev and Mariana Kostova, respectively.
The captains and their teams, composed of curious young people, debated with great interest on various topics, including “Why is sport important for young people?”, “Can sport win the battle against electronic devices?”, “Should sport be more developed in schools?”, “Can sport and learning complement and successfully combine with each other?”, “How does sport contribute to personal development?”, “What challenges does an amateur athlete face?”, “What is the influence of famous athletes in society?” and others.
The boys and girls were active and creative in their presentations. They emphasized the benefits of sports and physical activity, but also highlighted the need for investment and development in sports infrastructure, as most of them believe there is a need for improved conditions for sporting activities. The young people commented that sports play an important role in socialization and building friendships, in education, and in developing character, discipline, and responsibility. Opinions were expressed that it is much more beneficial to go out onto the field or into the gym than to sit in front of the computer or phone and try to replace sports with electronic games. The youth were adamant that sports and education should go hand in hand for a person to prosper.
The most active participants in the debate received special awards provided by the Executive Director of the National Sports Base, Svetoslav Roussinov. The most outstanding boys received tickets for the eternal football derby between CSKA and Levski, to be played on April 17. The girls won tickets for the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup, which will be held from March 31 to April 2 at the “Arena Armeec” hall in Sofia. The prizes were presented by Deputy Minister of Sports Petar Georgiev, Olympic champions Madlen Radukanova and Laura Traats, world boxing champion Detelin Dalakliev, and football legend Svetoslav Barkanichkov.
