On January 28th, 2023, the final event of the “Knowledge for Human Rights” project took place at Project Lab in Sofia, featuring a youth debate on “Civic Engagement for Human Rights.” Students from 10 schools participated in the event, including:
• SY “Konstantin Petkanov” – Burgas
• SY “Vasil Levski” – Roman
• SY “Krum Popov” – Levski
• SY “Hristo Botev” – Kubrat
• PG “Alekо Konstantinov” – Pleven
• PG “Knyaginya Evdokia” – Sofia
• PG “Alekо Konstantinov” – Svishtov
• SY “Yordan Yovkov” – Kardzhali
• 140 SY “Ivan Bogorov” – Sofia
• SY “Vicho Grncharov” – Gorna Oryahovitsa
The students participated in discussions on various human rights topics, including:
“The spread of fake news should be punished by the state.”
“Climate migrants should receive the same rights as refugees fleeing from armed conflict and political persecution.”
“Coal-fired power plants should be closed.”
“Employers should implement diversity policies when hiring and managing employees.”
“Voting in elections should be conducted exclusively electronically.”
Each debate team took either the supporting or opposing side of these topics. The goal was for the students to demonstrate their ability to find relevant information, use reliable sources, and argue their points with evidence.
A competent jury, composed of Lyubomira Kolcheva, Kaloyan Damyanov, and Natalia Spasova, evaluated the teams and awarded prizes to the best-performing teams: PG “Alekо Konstantinov” – Pleven, SY “Krum Popov” – Levski, and SY “Hristo Botev” – Kubrat.
Additionally, the National Association of Resource Teachers (NARU) awarded special prizes for the most inclusive speech to the SY “Krum Popov” – Levski team, along with 3 individual awards for outstanding performances.
This event highlighted the importance of youth participation in discussions on human rights and civic engagement, encouraging critical thinking and the responsible use of information among young people.
