Official representatives will visit schools from the “Amalipe” Center Network for the opening of the new school year (Updated)
As part of the upcoming opening of the new school year, schools from the “Amalipe” Center Network will be visited by official representatives, including those from various embassies and international organizations. The visits will take place in various locations across the country and aim to demonstrate support for the education and the integration of students of Roma origin.
The purpose of the visits is to highlight the importance of accessible and quality education for all children, regardless of their background. They also demonstrate the commitment of international partners and institutions to integration and equal opportunities in Bulgarian schools. The “Amalipe” Center works actively to promote education within the Roma community, collaborating with various institutions and international organizations to achieve this goal.
Schedule of Visits:
9:30 AM – Professional High School of Textile and Clothing “Dobri Zhelyazkov” in Sliven will welcome as official guests representatives of the US Embassy in Bulgaria, Evgeni Todorov and Daniel Scott. They will be joined by Silvia Stancheva, the Regional Educational Coordinator of the “Amalipe” Center;
10:00 AM – Professional High School of Textile and Leather Goods in Sofia will be honored by H.E. Mr. Paul Lambert, Ambassador of Belgium to Bulgaria, Rumyana Petkova, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy of Bulgaria, and Yoan Terio, Attaché for Institutional and Technical Cooperation at the French Embassy. They will be joined by Esil Shukrieva, representative of the “Amalipe” Center;
10:00 AM – The 124th Primary School in Sofia will welcome as official guests H.E. Mr. Fleming Stender, Ambassador of Denmark, and Antonia Birbaumer, Deputy Ambassador of the Austrian Embassy in Bulgaria. They will also be joined by Valeri Angelov, representative of the “Amalipe” Center;
10:00 AM – Professional High School of Chemical and Food Technologies in Pazardzhik will open its doors this year not only to eager students but also to official guests from UNICEF, including Ramiz Behbudov, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Bulgaria, Maria Yankova, Education Program Director at UNICEF Bulgaria, as well as Deyan Kolev and Teodora Krumova from the “Amalipe” Center. A special guest at the school opening ceremony will also be Petar Kulenski, Mayor of Pazardzhik Municipality.
10:30 AM – Primary School “Ivan Vazov” in the village of Izvor will welcome as official guests Christopher Kimber, Second Secretary at the British Embassy, accompanied by Vili Angelova;
11:30 AM – Primary School “Hristo Maksimov” in Samokov will be honored by national representative Mr. Raimund Furer, Ambassador of Switzerland to Bulgaria, and Irina Vasileva-Asenova, Regional Educational Coordinator at the “Amalipe” Center.
With the opening of the new school year, the visits of officials from the USA, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, UNICEF, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom highlight significant international support for the efforts of the “Amalipe” Center and Bulgarian educational institutions in promoting social integration and improving the quality of education.
Center “Amalipe” is a non-governmental organization that for more than 22 years has supported schools across the country in reducing dropout rates, dealing with early marriages, reaching tens of thousands of Roma parents, and increasing their motivation for education. As an independent civic organization, Center Amalipe manages to address important systemic issues that are beyond the capacity of individual participants, such as support for small (rural) schools, the introduction of the position of educational mediators, and more.
What we do and what we have achieved can be seen here.
