AEECA: Youth Academy for Civic Participation

The U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to foster the development of civil society and public engagement in Bulgaria through the creation of a Youth Academy for Civic Participation. This project will encourage young people throughout Bulgaria, especially outside of Sofia and in underserved communities, to understand the importance of civic participation, especially the importance of exercising the right to vote and doing so in an informed manner. The primary goal is to increase high-school-age Bulgarians’ interest in democracy through interactive workshops on the right to vote, elections, and public participation tools. Through project activities, including the simulation of elections at various high schools throughout Bulgaria and collaborations with election observation organizations, the academy will help Bulgarian youth have a voice and become actively involved in solving problems that directly affect them, including corruption, freedom of speech, and minority rights. This project will also boost youth understanding of “issue advocacy” – i.e. how citizens and civil society organizations engage communities and government institutions at various levels (local, national, and international) to raise awareness of problems and to identify and push for solutions. Target audiences include high school students in traditionally underserved areas with large minority populations, and a geographic focus on southern and northwestern Bulgaria.