Can school be a place where children and young people can speak freely in their own language about difficult but current topics, topics that are vitally important but taboo? Discussing and analyzing topics that are important for young people, related to gender-based violence and other types of violence, is a way to overcome prejudice and stereotypical thinking and behavior. Such a space was created in 97 Sofia Secondary School “Bratya Miladinovi” in Sofia, which is one of the partners in the project “Stories about the Power of Difference” implemented by the association “Reflective Learning-Bulgaria” with the financial support of the “Europe 2022” Program of the Sofia Municipality.

As part of the project, a podcast was held with teachers and students talking about the topic of violence prevention, which you can watch here:

The club students also presented their storytelling skills.

The project involved:

Diana Vasileva (coordinator of the school team for 97 SU “Bratya Miladinovi”), teacher BEL

Iglika Atanasova, teacher of Man and Nature

Andrian Trendafilov, teacher of mathematics

Vesela Zarkova, teacher of AE

Kristiyan Petrov, teacher BEL

Emilia Petkova, teacher BEL

And the students:

Monika Gospodinova

Jasmin Garbuzanova

Daria Stefanova

Tsvetelina Anakieva

Gabriela Bitsova

Borislava Mancheva

Viktoria Lukanova

Lyubov Mihaylova

Stanislava Asenova

Yana Ivanova

Ralitsa Petrova

Ines Staneva

Danislav Petrov

Siyana Duncheva

Ioana Kirilova – mentor and member of the jury

The work of the club on debates and storytelling was methodologically supported by Radostina Antonova, psychologist, hon. lecturer at NBU and coordinator of the project. Here is what she shared: “Our joint work with the teachers and children from 97 Secondary School “Bratya Miladinovi” was extremely interesting and mutually enriching. I am impressed by the teamwork and dedication of all the teachers who lead the club, as well as by the ambition and desire for development of the fifth, sixth and seventh grade students who participate in the club. Although located on the outskirts of Sofia, 97 Secondary School “Bratya Miladinovi” fully defends its name of an innovative school. Despite its enormous workload with classes and extracurricular activities, a very large number of students applied to participate in the debate and storytelling club, due to the wonderful relationship of mutual respect with the teachers, the importance of the topic, the opportunity to make independent decisions and the desire of the children to do something together to stop the violence they encounter daily at school, in the “lonely streets”, at home. And last but not least, inspired by the example of the “big ones” – the school is developing a Debate club with students in high school. At the end of this short project, both the teachers and the children chose to continue the work of the club until the end of the current school year and it will be an honor and privilege for me to continue working with them.”

The podcast was filmed and produced by young activists: Yoana Pencheva (student of sociology at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”) and Nikolay Dimitrov (student of cinema at NBU). We thank them for their work and exceptional contribution to the project and the goals of the Sofia Municipality’s Europe 2022 Program!