SOFIA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION was founded as non-profit organization with the decision 348
of the Sofia Municipal Council to work for the sustainable development of the capital.
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IN THE UPCOMING WEEK AN INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON THE SUBJECT OF COUNTERING HATE SPEECH ONLINE WILL BE HELD IN VIENNA
Between 14th and 16th November an international training under the name of "Digital Gardening: Applying Strategies to Counter Hate Speech Online through Real Case Scenarios" will be held in Vienna, Austria.
The training is a part of the LEAD – Online project, which aims to counter hate speech through education of students and teachers on different ways of adequately respond to hate speech online. It will bring together teachers and trainers from 7 European countries, as well as specialists from 7 organizations and institutions with experience and skills in combating hate speech online. Denitza Lozanova and Snezhina Gabova are representing SDA during the training. Educators from all over Europe will be participants of the event, among which 4 representatives of the Bulgarian formal and informal education system.
The event will be an interactive one with a main goal to create a script for an online game for teachers and students alike, that aims to enrich the ways to recognize and respond to hate speech.
The project is funded by the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme.
INNOAIR PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL CYCLING CONFERENCE
The Innoair project was presented at the National Cycling Conference on November 3rd, 2022, in the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. The forum presented the first National bicycle plan in Bulgaria. The event was organized by the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism and brought together cycling development and tourism stakeholders from all over the country. It was attended by experts with the Civic Initiative for bicycle transport, the Tourism Ministry, the Ministry for Regional Development, mayors and representatives of municipalities, citizens.
The conference showcased the achievements and the ambitions for development of cycling in several main areas – national network of bike routes, municipal policies and actions, routes and transborder cooperation, cycling events and tours, civic initiatives and bike economy. Sevdalina Voynova presented the developments and achievements of INOAIR in support of active transport and biking in Sofia – the mobile application SofiaCain that rewards walking and biking and helps define priorities for urban infrastructure development, the cameras for counting bikers, designed by universities and installed by the bike lanes on Tsar Boris III blvd. and Bulgaria blvd., the INOAIR hackathons, one of which will take place in a few days, on November 11.
INNOAIR is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.
RECOGNITION FOR TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH REFUGEE CHILDREN IN SOFIA
Teachers have a critical role to support refugee children. This role is more than teaching, especially when the kids are still in the adaptation phase. How these children see education, what is their school experience is of utmost importance to overcome the trauma of they suffered in their own country, leaving the environment they know, travelling and settling in a new place.
On November 2-nd, on the occasion of the Day of the National Revival Leaders, Sofia Development Association, Sofia Municipality and UNHCR awarded 45 educators – experts from the Regional Governance of Education and teachers from Sofia schools, who have created welcoming classrooms to all children and their parents, who help refugee and migrant kids feel at home, develop self-confidence and skills important for overcoming the toxic stress.
Education is human right of every refugee in any country. It is also the basis on which many migrant kids and their families can rebuild their life. Mrs. Malina Edreva, chairperson of Sofia Municipal Council committee on education, culture and diversity, and Mrs. Petya Karayaneva, protection officer at UNHCR representation in Sofia, expressed the community gratitude to the educations for their contribution to the future of the city.
SDA and UNHCR will continue to provide support to school, headmasters and teachers throughout the academic year.
CONNECTION project: CONNEcting Cities Towards Integration action, is co-funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
AeroSolfd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The AeroSolfd partners gathered for their general assembly hybrid meeting on November 2-3, 2022 – physically in the Institute for Energy and Environmental Technology. V. (IUTA) in Duisburg, Germany, and online. AeroSolfd is an EU-funded project that will deliver affordable, adaptable, and environmentally friendly retrofit solutions to reduce tailpipe and brake emissions and pollution in (semi-) closed environments. This will allow a quick transition towards cleaner mobility and a healthier environment.
The consortium meeting reviewed the implemented activities, though in progress, as well as the upcoming activities by tasks and work packages. The status update was accompanied with discussions on the objectives, sustainability, and the innovative aspect of each relevant task.
SDA is a project partner on behalf of Sofia Municipality as a demo site for one of the innovative solutions being developed and tested – the retrofit solutions for air purification for semi-closed urban environments (tunnels). Sofia will test air purifiers that do not require installation investment, measure their effectiveness, and contribute to their adaptation to reach market entry level.
The general assembly also selected the project Advisory Board with well-known European scientists and experts to validate the concepts, outputs ,and results.
AeroSolfd is co-funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISES: DYNAMIC SPACES FOR INNOVATIVE IDEAS
A work session with social enterprises from Sofia was the very first event that took place in the innovative space of the Bulgarian Center for Non-for-Profit Law, furnished with products from the social enterprises themselves. It is an initiative of the Sofia Development Association and the Bulgarian Center for Non-for-Profit Law and aims to support activities aimed at the development of the city as a place with active communities.
The series of discussions started with social entrepreneurs, the problems and opportunities in expanding and developing social innovations, sharing experiences and coming together in networks to upgrade the innovation ecosystem.
The results from this discussion will be taken into account when designing of the structure and functions of the National Competence Center in the field of social innovation.
The SI PLUS project is funded by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, European Social Fund and European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation.
CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES IN NOVEMBER 2022 IN THE BUREAU FOR INFORMATION AND SERVICES FOR THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS
The Bureau of Information and Services for Foreign Citizens in Sofia presents to your attention the "Program of activities for the month of November". The office is located at 113 Hristo Botev Street and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The program, as well as the provided services, have been translated into several languages - Bulgarian, English, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic and Farsi (Persian).
You can find the program for November in Bulgarian HERE.
You can find the program for November in Ukrainian HERE.
You can find the program for November in English HERE.
You can find the program for November in French HERE.
You can find the program for November in Russian HERE.
You can find the program for November in Arabic HERE.
You can find the program for November in Farsi HERE.
The bureau was created with the aim of assisting foreign citizens residing on the territory of our country. Among the most frequently used services are the legal consultations offered by the "Foundation for Access to Rights - FAR" and the Center for legal aid - "Voice of Bulgaria", held on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
CONNECTION project: CONNEcting Cities Towards Integration action, is co-funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.