Speakers
Nadezhda Tsekulova
More a concept than a building
Надежда Цекулова е журналист и комуникационен специалист. Работи приоритетно с теми в сферата на здравеопазването повече от 15 години с фокус върху майчиното и детското здраве. През март 2020 г. става съосновател на Национална гражданска инициатива „ЗА истинска детска болница“, а като част от ядрото на инициативата през юли 2023 г. е включена в Обществен съвет за изграждане на Национална детска болница.
Krasimira Butseva
The neighbours we don't talk about
Krasimira Butseva is a visual artist, researcher, writer and educator based between London, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria. In her creative and academic work, she explores political violence, traumatic memory, and the official and unofficial history of Eastern Europe. Krasimira employs video, photography, installation, sound and text, in the recontextualization of difficult and erased histories in relation to the communist regime. Her works are both part of gallery spaces and academic journals. Krasimira is a senior lecturer at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. In 2022, she received the BAZA Award for Contemporary Art (YVAA), and in 2021 she was awarded an artist fellowship at the Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany. In 2024, together with Julian Shehiryan and Lilia Topuzova, she will represent Bulgaria at the 60th Venice Biennale.
Ljubo Georgiev
The forgotten right of having a voice
Ljubo Georgiev (born 1981 in Sofia, Bulgaria) was trained as an architect and urban planner. In the course of the years he combined design, activist and management experience. He began studying architecture at IUAV in Venice (Italy). He received his master's degree in Architecture, Urbanism and Building sciences from TU Delft (the Netherlands) in 2007. Ljubo Georgiev has built-up an international experience by working in diverse countries and contexts: Scotland, Italy, the Netherlands, China and his native Bulgaria. He has authored a number of articles and has lectured at different conferences and events around Europe. Between 2014 and 2016 he was director of One Architecture Week, an international festival for contemporary architecture and the built environment. From the beginning of 2017 until the end of 2019 he led the team, which created the long term development plan for Sofia, Vision Sofia 2050. Parallel to this, between 2017 and the end of 2021 he was the director of Sofiaplan - Sofia’s municipal strategic and spatial planning body. Since the beginning of 2022 he is head of the Team Sofia initiative.
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Maria Cheresheva
Journalism and human rights: the invisible boundary
Мария Черешева има над 15-годишен опит като журналист в различни български и международни медии. Работила е с медии и организации като Балканската мрежа за разследваща журналистика (BIRN), ZDF, Balkan Insight, ARTE, Deutsche Welle, BBC, Der Spiegel и др. През последните десет години в центъра на работата й като разследващ журналист са теми, свързани с човешките права с фокус върху миграцията и търговията с оръжие от Балканите. От 2022 г. работи с разследващия колектив Lighthouse Reports, с който изнасят данни и визуални доказателства за фрапиращи нарушения на човешките права при охраната на европейските граници. Носител е на различни български и международни награди за своята работа, като през 2023 г. е отличена с приза “Журналист на годината” на Българския хелзинкски комитет. Водеща е и на актуалното предаване “Кой говори” по Дарик радио. Мария е един от основателите на Асоциацията на европейските журналисти - България (АЕЖ) - организация, насърчаваща смелата, независима и етична журналистика у нас.
Vera Gotseva
Photographing humanity
Vera Gotseva – Lomovera is a photographer with a journalistic background, storyteller and mentor. Her photos are published in a number of Bulgarian and international media such as The Huffington Post, Der Spiegel, Granta, Dnevnik and many others. Some of her most popular projects are the exhibition and social installation Postcards to My Father, dedicated to loss and death; 100gr of tenderness, showing the inner world of people with eating disorders; How do we live now?; - a project that analyzes in depth our mental health and the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic and the photo-book Acceptаncе, which present the lives of different Bulgarian families (most of them LGBT) and explores the psychological connection between people regardless of their gender. Vera has nine exhibitions, she leads a variety of photography trainings and groups. Her main focus as a photographer is documentary photovoice photography. With her projects, she aims to put various vulnerable topics and groups in the spotlight, and to make the invisible
life - visible.
Ivaylo Yabulkarov
Stories of refugees that do not reach us
Ивайло Ябълкаров е психолог и журналист по образование, част от гражданското общество по призвание. Вече 16 години той е част от различни неправителствени организации. От 2008 година досега е натрупал опит в сферата на приемната грижа, осиновяването, работата с възрастни и деца, работа с общности, бежанци и реализиране на кампании по различни теми. През последните 5 години работи във фондация „Мисия Криле”. Част е от Управителния съвет на фондацията, като в момента предимно помага с комуникацията, дейността по проекти и подкрепата на екипа в работата с тежките случаи.
Kadrin Hasanov
Are the poor in Bulgaria to blame for their condition?
Kadrin Hasanov is from the city of Razgrad and is part of the team of the Integro Association.With over 17 years of experience, he is engaged in the social inclusion and empowerment of Roma at all levels – local, regional, and national. He participates in the planning and implementation of projects aimed at advocacy, education, Roma access to the labor market, combating hate speech, creating networks, community organization, and others. Kadrin also has experience as a trainer on topics related to community work, organizing advocacy campaigns, and project cycle management. He is a co-author of studies and research on topics such as the Youth Guarantee, the impact of European programs on the Roma community, and the assessment of the impact of public policies on Roma. Since 2015, he has been a Facilitator and Expert in the ROMACT program, a joint program of the European Commission and the Council of Europe aimed at building the capacity of local authorities to plan and implement better inclusive policies for Roma. He has experience in conducting campaigns aimed at drawing politicians; attention to issues affecting the Roma community and undertaking specific commitments to address common needs and problems.
Maya Doneva
Labor and women - a short story about lower pay for the same work
Мая Донева е международен консултант и обучител в сферата на публичните политики в последните 17 години. Тя е основател на едно от първите социални предприятия в България "Социалната чайна". Като един от двигателите на печелившата кандидатура на град Варна за "Европейска младежка столица" и като генерален секретар на базираната в Брюксел EASPD- Европейската асоциация на доставчици за социални услуги за хора с увреждания, Мая трупа опит в работата с местна власт, европейски институции и политици от различни политически семейства. В периода 2018-2021 е изпълнителен директор на "Карин дом" и в тази си роля стартира изграждането на един от най-модерните терапевтични центрове за деца с увреждания в Европа в партньорство с VELUX, Община Варна и редица корпоративни дарители. Работила е в над 35 държави по теми, свързани с изграждане на политики, иновативни модели за управление, застъпничество, социални иновации и равнопоставеност. Последната тема, която дълбоко я интересува са политиките, свързани с разликите в заплащането между мъже и жени, защото самата тя попада в такава ситуация и установява, че целият й политически, житейски и професионален опит понякога не са достатъчни за да се справиш с неравенствата.
Simona Stiliyanova
Access to water: A Right, Not a Commodity
Simona, born in 1990 in Sofia, is deeply engaged in sustainable development. She is author of the blog for sustainable living "Zero Waste Sofia," and the "Fountains in Bulgaria" map. In 2020 together with Bozhana Zagorcheva she co-founded Osnova, a company dedicated to support businesses in Bulgaria in adopting sustainable practices. Since 2021, Simona also serves as an European Climate Pact ambassador in Bulgaria. Her work spans pressing issues such as climate change, overconsumption, prosumption, single-use plastic pollution, and misleading environmental practices, known as "greenwashing". Recognized as part of the climate innovators for Central and Eastern Europe by Ashoka Global and EIT Climate KIC CEE, Simona has also earned a spot on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in Bulgaria.
Tihomira Metodieva
The overwhelming ease of being a volunteer
Tihich is a volunteer and photographer. She was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. She grew up at “Kristal”, ”Sinioto”, “Popa”, exploring the caves along the Iskar Gorge, the waters of Struma river, and the slopes of Vitosha, Pirin, Rila and Stara planina mountains. She is a volunteer firefighter in the Metropolitan Volunteering Unit and founder of the National Association of Volunteers in Republic of Bulgaria, which unites volunteers involved in fires, floods, and other disasters and accidents. She actively volunteers in civic initiatives, primarily focused on nature conservation and preserving cultural heritage. During non-emergency periods, she contributes to Greenpeace and Za Zemiata initiatives and volunteers for archaeological excavations. Through her photography, she advocates for various causes. In 2020 she became a volunteer in the Covid zone at Aleksandrovska Hospital's emergency department and was recognized for her dedication from Bulgarian Helsinki Committee's as Person of the Year.life - visible.