Programs of the Bulgarian School of Politics, practical results and benefits from the trainings discussed the director of the America for Bulgaria Foundation – Chris J. Matlon, the Executive Director of the School – Irina Alexieva, and graduates from different Classes. The meeting took place on 2nd May and Lenko Lenkov, Director, Programs for Civil Society, America for Bulgaria Foundation, Elisaveta Petrova, Hristo Panchugov, Gergana Alexova and Ilian Tochev from Classes 2010 and 2011 of the National Program and Ikmal Jomova, graduate of the Regional Program, Class 2010 also participated in it.

Irina Alexieva presented how the participants are selected and their profile, as well as the key accents in both Programs. She highlighted that the goal of the School is to prepare good politicians, working in public benefit. Graduates stated that practical applicability was one of the main characteristics of the trainings and the knowledge and skills, which the participants acquired, helped them in their activities as politicians and representatives of non-governmental organisations. During the courses we learned to understand the arguments of others, to look at them not as opponents but how to work together for achieving common goals, said Elisaveta Petrova from Class 2010. According to Gergana Alexova from Class 2011 it was very important that the participants continued staying in touch after they graduated the School programs. Our Class chose “Tolerance” as our cause and would work with young people to help them see how representatives of different political parties could formulate common policies and walk in one direction towards public benefit. Ikmal Jomova said that the experience gained from the School Programs has been used by her political party for developing its in-house trainings. I am impressed by what you share here and by your desire to jointly work to change your country, said Chris J. Matlon during the meeting. He expressed his confidence that the School graduates would continue working together for democratic development of Bulgaria. The meeting was within the two-year project “The Missing Connection: from Strategic Documents to Policy Action”, financed by America for Bulgaria Foundation.