To be “Ambassador for a day” – the award for the winners of the competition “I have a dream: to study and live together”
The winners in all age groups from the three categories in the competition “I have a dream: to study and live together!” essays, videos, and visuals, had the honor and pleasure of being Ambassadors for a day by playing the role of true diplomats and conveying the message of tolerance, equality and understanding in key services in the capital.
The hosts of the “Ambassador for a Day” initiative were the Minister of Labor and Social Policy – Georgi Gyokov; Deputy Prime Minister for Effective Governance and Chair of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues – Kalina Konstantinova, as well as the Ambassadors of the Diplomatic Missions to Bulgaria from Germany, Spain, Belgium and the Republic of South Africa. After the official ceremony for awarding the participants awarded from first to third place in the student competition related to the International Roma Day – April 8th, awarded personally by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliana Yotova, the students from the first places went to the relevant institutions, where they briefly got acquainted with the main functions of ministers and ambassadors and even entered directly into their role by participating in events, just like on a typical day in political life.
Thus, from 10:30 a.m., Gencho Tsankov, a student from PGZ “Todor Rachinski”, General Toshevo was a special guest of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy – Georgi Gyokov, who welcomed the awarded with a special prize for editing and visual effects student in his office. After a brief conversation, together with the representative of the Amalipe Center, Silvia Stancheva,they went to the building of the National Assembly to open a thematic exhibition organized on the occasion of April 8 – International Roma Day. It was organized by the MLSP, the Employment Agency, the Operational Program “Human Resources Development” with the assistance of the Takale Foundation, the National Network of Roma Labor Mediators, and the National Network of Health Mediators. The exhibition, which shows the customs, traditions, and dreams of the Roma community, was opened by the Chairпman of the National Assembly Nikola Minchev, who welcomed all non-governmental organizations working actively to activate and advocate for the Roma community. Mr. Gyokov and Mr. Minchev received from the Ambassador for one day – Gencho Tsankov, special gifts – the Roma flag, as a sign of dialogue and cooperation with the Roma community and textbooks on Folklore of ethnic groups – Roma folklore, with which they could get acquainted in details with the Roma traditions, customs, and history.
Another representative of the government in Bulgaria – Deputy Prime Minister for Effective Governance – Kalina Konstantinova, as Chair of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues, accepted the winner in the third age group in the essay category, Virginia Atanasova from PGSSHT. Shumen. She was co-host of a meeting organized by the NCCEII on the occasion of the International Roma Day with non-governmental organizations, Roma activists and civil society organizations working for equality and dialogue in the Roma community.
Virginia welcomed all participants, stressing the need for better education combined with preserving the ethnic identity of young Roma. “On this day, the Roma share a ‘no’ to discrimination and a ‘no’ to war. We must approve of ourselves as we are, and be tolerant and sympathetic. Let’s be united,” she stated. The Deputy Prime Minister also received a special gift from the Amalipe Center, presented by the winner of the competition – textbooks on Ethnic folklore – Roma folklore, as well as the Roma flag symbolizing the blue sky and green grass and the red wheel in the middle – the Indian chakra representing the origin of the Roma community and the ongoing movement of Roma around the world. The meeting was also attended by representatives of UNICEF in Bulgaria and the World Bank in Bulgaria, as well as other key institutions in the country.
At the German Embassy
Esil Shukrieva, a graduate of Secondary school of “Angel Karaliychev”, from the town Strazhitsa awarded with special award for overall contribution to the activation of student self-government and development of student parliament met the Ambassador of Germany to Bulgaria, HE Christoph Eichhorn. In the Residence of the Ambassador, the representatives of Amalipe Center – Galina Decheva and Angel Simeonov presented the awarded student and she herself explained what to be a stundet mentor is and how the student parliaments function. In the spirit of the International Roma day – April 8th, Ambassador Eichhorn spoke about his professional path and how diverse and interesting it is to be a diplomat. As an Ambassador for a day, Esil learned what an ambassador usually does on his work day. Mr. Eichhorn shared that the most important thing for him is to be among the people in the country where he is on a diplomatic mission in order to get a close understanding of their problems, their thinking, and their understanding of what is happening in the country and across Europe. He shared that we are all part of Europe, but somehow the Bulgarian people do not share this understanding that we are part of the European community. In the same way, the entire Roma community is part of a globalizing world, but it must, like any nation, preserve its identity on its path to modernity and integration into that globalization. At the end of this conversation, the ambassador received the Roma flag, as a sign of cooperation and dialogue from the ambassador of the community for one day – Esil Shukrieva. As a message for the International Day, H.E. Christoph Eichhorn left his father’s order – Check what you want. Do what you can do.
At the Spanish Embassy
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, HE Mr. Alejandro Polanco met with the winners of the video category, the young creators of the short message for tolerance and acceptance of differences, seventh-graders from Hristo Botev Primary School, Maglizh – Asen Assenov and Yordan Yordanov, together with their principal Milena Chelebieva and teacher Hrista Dimitrova. Galina Decheva, regional coordinator for the region of Stara Zagora where the school is situated, welcomed the hosts and explained the terms and conditions of this year’s student competition and told the history and the symbolics of the International Roma Day April 8th. The students from the primary school in Maglizh started their tour at the embassy with a visit to the building of the Department of Education at the embassy, where they got acquainted with the function of the department and told about the idea and implementation of their video project. The team of the education department invited the boys to take part in their competitions, explaining that last year’s competition was exactly with a football theme, which significantly impressed the young fans of Spanish football – Assen and Jordan. 
During the meeting, Ambassador HE Mr. Alejandro Polanco welcomed the students and told them about how the embassy works and how many buildings and departments it has, as well as what each of them is responsible for. In a short discussion, the students shared the idea of the video and how in five minutes they fit a real situation of a student who was initially bullied by his new classmates but later accepted it. At the heart of their idea is the idea of friendship and understanding in response to the theme of this year’s competition – I have a dream: To study and live together! A tour of the embassy building followed as Ambassador Polanco personally explained what each of the employees in the building was doing. The students even managed to see what it is like to be at the ambassador’s desk and to feel briefly what it is like to be an ambassador for one day. At the end of the tour, as true diplomats of the Roma community, the students presented the ambassador with the Roma flag and pointed out what it symbolizes. N. Pr. Mr. Alejandro Polanco stressed that two things are extremely important for successful diplomatic relations and cooperation – understanding and dialogue. The Roma community in Bulgaria and Spain is large and constant dialogue is needed for cooperation between all countries.
At the Belgian Embassy
H.E. Mr. Frederic Morris, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, hosted three of the winners of the competition: Yanitsa Hristova from the primary school “St. Kliment Ohridski ”, Bukovlak (first prize in the first age group, Essay category), Byushra Ridvan from Panayot Volov Primary School, Todor Ikonomovo (first prize, first age group in Image category) and Ayşe Bilal from “Tsanko Tserkovski” Secondary school, the village of Nikola Kozlevo (incentive award in the Essay category and special award for” Contribution to the development of volunteering in the Network “Every student will be an excellent student”).
The winners had the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of the Embassy and learn more about Belgium and its most important symbols. The children were intrigued by the fact that the Smurfs’ homeland is Belgium and told the Ambassador that they had tried Belgian chocolate and liked it very much. E.g. Mr. Morris told them and showed them images of the King and Queen of Belgium, paintings by famous Belgian authors, and even important documents needed to travel to his country.
In a casual conversation, the children explained where they are from and how excited they are about their visits to Sofia. They told the Embassy team why they participated in the competition and how important it is for them not to be divided between their classmates, but only understanding. At the end of the visit, Ambassador Morris congratulated the students, their teachers, and all Roma on the occasion of April 8, wishing them health and expressing the desire of the Embassy to assist everyone in need – our doors are open for you!
At the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa
Students from Secondary school “Hristo Smirnenski” in the town of Gulyantsi are the big winners of the competition “I have a dream: to study and live together” Fani Filipova student in 8th grade won the competition in the category of visual materials with a drawing. Juliana Petkova, a student, also in the 8th grade won the essay competition on the same topic, but also in her age group. After receiving their diplomas in person from the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, the two girls together with the school principal Emilia Petrusheva went to the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Bulgaria. Although in the absence of the Ambassador, the whole team of the embassy accepted the winners in the different categories – essays and images Fanny and Juliana. There they met with the deputy of HE Thabo Tahe – Mrs. Vos – political consul at the embassy, who had the honor of being Ambassador for one day. The team asked the girls how they see themselves in 5 years, what their dreams are for realization and what they know about the ambassador’s work. She then told them in detail about the role played by each embassy in each country and what the ambassador’s job is. The two girls had the opportunity to meet people from different departments and get closer to the work of the consular department and where the visa permits of Bulgarian citizens who want to visit the Republic of South Africa are considered. The girls had the opportunity to see the embassy building in Sofia and learn a little about the history of South Africa.
The Ambassador for a Day initiative is being organized by the Amalipe Center for another year after a break during the Kovid pandemic. It gives a chance to the best-performing students in the student essay, video, and image competition to be “Ambassadors of Tolerance” in key national institutions and diplomatic missions. Traditionally, the initiative is held on April 8th – International Roma Day.
In 2022, the initiative was part of the “I have a dream: to study and live together!”
Read more:
The winners of the competition “I have a dream: to study and live together” are now revealed
The President and Vice-president celebrated the International Roma Day – the messages and beyond
Discussion with the Deputy Minister of Education Mrs. Gaydarova with Roma teachers for the International Roma Day