Five inspiring ideas of young people from all over the country were selected for support in the “Be the best version of yourself” competition. They were selected from 31 applications submitted by young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who believe that change begins with personal motivation, active participation and the courage to turn your ideas into action.
All proposals received within the competition showed the diversity of interests and causes that drive young people today – from volunteering and education, through sports, technology and ecology, to social inclusion and active civic participation. What they have in common is the desire of young people not just to talk about change, but to be its creators.
After careful selection, the jury selected the following five initiatives, which will receive funding of 2001 euros for implementation:
Arzu Byulyantova, 23 years old, Dobrich
Project: “Board Game Jam”
The initiative will create a space for young people who, through creativity, teamwork and support from mentors, will develop their own board games. The project aims to lay the foundations of a new creative community and tradition for youth events in Dobrich.
Boyan Iliev, 19 years old, Shumen
Project: “GPX QR Tracker: Smart routes – Safer in nature”
The project will develop a free tool for creating and sharing tourist routes through QR codes, which will support schools, tourism clubs and local initiatives to organize safer and more accessible adventures in nature.
Dimitar Genov, 24 years old, Plovdiv
Project: “Plovdiv rows again: An equal start through sport”
The initiative will provide an opportunity for children deprived of parental care to engage in free rowing activities and will promote social inclusion through sports and an active lifestyle.
Martin Gaydarski, 20 years old, Pleven
Project: “AI Generation: Technologies for the Future”
Through practical workshops, mentoring meetings and work on real projects with artificial intelligence, the initiative will develop the digital skills, critical thinking and creativity of students from 8. to 12. grade.
Nikola Ivanov, 20 years old, Sofia
Project: “After the Fire: Stories of Forest Fires in Bulgaria”
The project will create a documentary multimedia story about the consequences of forest fires in Bulgaria through podcast episodes, video content and publications to increase public awareness and engagement on the topic.
The “Be the best version of yourself” competition is part of the initiatives with which WCIF celebrates its 25th anniversary. For a quarter of a century, the foundation has been supporting active citizens, bold ideas and solutions for a better life in local communities.
The amount of support – 2001 euros for each of the selected initiatives, carries a symbolic message related to the year of foundation of the WCIF and the beginning of its mission to promote civic activity and initiatives for the benefit of the community.
We thank all participants in the competition for their trust, energy and inspiration. Every idea submitted is proof that young people have a desire to create, take responsibility and contribute to the development of their communities.
“Be the best version of yourself” is not just a message. This is an invitation to young people to turn their potential into real change.