On June 21-22, the Bulgarian Platform for International Development (BPID) organised a national event on Global Citizenship Education (GCE) and the implementation of SDG 4.7 in Sofia. As one of the Bridge 47 project partners, BPID hosted some 90 representatives from civil society, education and the public sector over the course of the weekend.
The two days featured several presentations and workshops on GCE and transformative learning.
During the first day presentations varied from digital skills and knowing oneself to the World’s Largest Lesson and teacher’s implementation of GCE methodologies. Representatives presented ‘Fridays for Futures’, whereby Bulgarian students each week protest before public institutions demanding changes in environmental policy. And the national results of the International Study of Civic Education (2016) were also presented.
At the end of the first day, 5 schools from 4 cities in Bulgaria were awarded the Global School Prize for achievements in the implementation of Global Citizenship Education in their curricula.
The second day featured more practical workshops on ways to implement GCE perspectives and methodologies into personal and professional life. Ekaterina Dimitrova from UNA News Bulgaria and Rozalina Nedkova from the United Nations Association of Bulgaria hosted a "Media Literacy Lab" providing instruments on how to recognise fake news. Workshops and presentations were also held on student self-development as well as on understanding education through the prism of justice.
All in all, the national event provided an excellent opportunity for Bulgarian stakeholders in education and policy to come together and share views, experiences and best practices.