On May 14, 2026, the student ombudsmen and the award-winning students from the national student competition “Marriage can wait, education can’t”, organized by the Amalipe Center, visited a number of key institutions and diplomatic missions in Sofia. Within the framework of the initiative, young people had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Embassies of Spain, Poland and Germany, UNICEF Bulgaria, the State Agency for Child Protection and the National Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The visits are part of the consistent efforts of the Amalipe Center to promote the active civic participation of young people and provide them with the opportunity to present their positions on topics related to education, equality and the rights of children and youth. During the meetings, the students took on the role of “young ambassadors”, sharing their stories, ideas and messages directly with the institutions that shape policies and work to protect and support children.
The Polish Embassy in Sofia welcomed the students for an inspiring visit, which gave them the opportunity to get to know the work of a diplomatic mission up close. The visit was attended by representatives of the Hristo Botev Unified School – Kaspichan village, Tsanko Bakalov Tserkovski Secondary School – Nikola Kozlevo village and the Vocational High School of Agriculture and Food Technologies – Shumen city, accompanied by the regional coordinator of the Amalipe Center, Todor Vankov.
The hosts presented the activities of the embassy and spoke about the role of diplomats in maintaining relations between Bulgaria and Poland. The students had the opportunity to explore various rooms in the building, and during the tour they learned interesting facts and stories related to diplomatic work and bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The young participants showed active interest, asked questions and participated with curiosity in the conversation with the hosts. The meeting took place in a friendly and inspiring atmosphere, encouraging intercultural dialogue, tolerance and active civic participation. At the end of the visit, the students shared an informal moment with the hosts, which further contributed to the positive emotions and impressions of the visit.
At the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Bulgaria, the students were personally welcomed by H.E. Ambassador Miguel Alonso Berio, who introduced them to the activities of the diplomatic mission and the work of the various departments at the embassy. In a friendly and informal atmosphere, Asen, Jordan, the two Ivanovtsi and their companions had the opportunity to talk with the hosts about their education and future plans, as well as about common interests, including football. It turned out that the students and the ambassador share sympathies for the same football club – “Real” Madrid.
During the visit, the group also visited the Cultural Department of the Embassy, as well as the library, where the students learned about the opportunities for cultural and educational exchange between Bulgaria and Spain. The news that a group of students from the Vocational High School of Agriculture – Maglizh will visit Barcelona in June under the Erasmus+ program aroused particular interest among the hosts.
The students were also impressed by the visit to the Embassy’s car park, where they learned more about the organization and specifics of diplomatic work. The meeting ended with photos in the Embassy garden and an invitation to H.E. Miguel Alonso Berio to visit the Natural Sciences and Mathematics High School in Kazanlak – an invitation he accepted with pleasure.
At the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Sofia, the students were welcomed as special guests within the framework of the initiative. The visit was attended by Nikola Draganov from the Second English Language School “Thomas Jefferson” in Sofia, winner of the student competition “Marriage can wait, education cannot”, as well as Kristiyan Alexandrov, school ombudsman at the Vocational Agricultural High School “Dobrudzha” in Silistra. During the meeting, an inspiring conversation was held with the two young participants – Nikola Draganov and Kristiyan Alexandrov, who are actively engaged in the topics of education, equality and public participation. The discussion focused on their personal motivation to continue their education, as well as on the messages they want to send to their peers and the wider youth community. The hosts emphasized the importance of dialogue, mutual respect and support for young voices as key elements for building an open and inclusive society. The meeting left a strong impression on the participants and contributed to an even deeper understanding of the role of education as an engine of change.
Source: Embassy of Germany
Source: Embassy of Germany
The student ombudsman of the Vocational High School of Transport and Mechanical Engineering in the village of Gradnitsa, Ivana Borisova, and Silvie Koleva – a student from the same high school and winner in the “Graphic Image” category in the competition “Marriage Can Wait, Education – Not”, organized by the Amalipe Center, Galina Toshkova from the Amalipe Center and Joanna Dzhambazova, a teacher at the Vocational High School of Transport and Mechanical Engineering in the village of Gradnitsa, met with the team of the State Agency for Child Protection.
During their visit, they learned about the activities of the State Agency for Child Protection and presented their school, the school initiatives in which they participate, as well as the responsible role of the student ombudsman. The conversation provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas related to children’s rights and student participation in school life.
Source: State Agency for Child Protection
Student ombudsmen from the Amalipe Center network, as well as distinguished participants in the competition “Marriage can wait, education can’t”, visited the institution of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria. The young people were welcomed by Ms. Katya Hristova – Head of the Ombudsman’s Office, and Dr. Eva Zhecheva – Director of the Children’s Rights Directorate. The meeting turned into an open and friendly conversation, during which the students learned how citizens can seek help from the Ombudsman, what signals and complaints are considered and how the institution assists in cases of violated rights. Specific examples from practice were also presented, which showed the importance of timely institutional support.
Ms. Katya Hristova explained the way in which the institution reacts to received signals, sharing real cases from her work. For her part, Dr. Eva Zhecheva presented the activities of the Directorate for Children’s Rights, focusing on its main functions and the most common challenges related to guaranteeing children’s rights.
During the discussion, the possibility of closer cooperation between the student ombudsmen and the Directorate for Children’s Rights was also discussed, with a focus on exchanging information, sharing good practices and working together on cases related to the protection of children’s rights. The meeting left a strong impression on the participants and emphasized the importance of partnership between institutions, schools and students in finding real solutions to important public issues. For the young ombudsmen, the visit became both a valuable lesson and an inspiration to continue actively protecting the rights and interests of their classmates.
UNICEF Bulgaria opened its doors to students and teachers from the Stanka Nikolitsa Spaso-Elenina Vocational High School for Clothing – Razgrad, Lyuben Karavelov Secondary School – Varna, St. Cyril and Methodius Secondary School – Smyadovo, Vocational High School for Agriculture – Suvorovo and St. Cyril and Methodius Secondary School – Krivodol who met with the organization’s team as part of the initiative. Inspiring girls – student ombudsmen and true ambassadors of tolerance – shared their experiences and their role as a voice for students and a link between them and teachers. They talked about how they work to find solutions to problems in their schools and communities and how, through their initiatives, they manage to inspire their peers.
The meeting highlighted the importance of young people’s active participation in school life and the protection of children’s rights, as well as their motivation to continue developing their role as advocates for change. At the end of the visit, gratitude was expressed to the Amalipe Center for organizing the initiative and the opportunity for this inspiring exchange.
Source: UNICEF Bulgaria
The “Ambassador of Tolerance” initiative is implemented within the framework of the “Mission Excelent: Inspired to Succeed” Network, uniting 259 schools from all over the country. It is coordinated by the Amalipe Center with the support of the Trust for Social Alternative. The network includes primary, secondary, combined and secondary schools, as well as vocational high schools.
The program is funded by the Trust for Social Achievement.
Trust for Social Achievement (TSA) is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to break the vicious cycle of poverty by promoting opportunities that help Bulgaria’s most disadvantaged citizens achieve educational and economic success. TSA supports programs that, through their integrity, growth potential, and transparency, help improve the well-being of Bulgaria’s poorest people, with a special focus on Roma.
