YOUNG PEOPLE IN GABROVO SEND THEIR MESSAGE TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: “WE ARE LUCKY, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO VOTE!”
On Friday, March 13, in Gabrovo took place the first information meeting and discussion with young people, dedicated to the European Parliament elections 2009. The meeting was organized by the Bulgarian School of Politics, within a project funded by the “Youth in Action” program of the EC. Co-organizer of the meeting was the Information Center “Europe Direct” in Gabrovo.
Special guests at the meeting were Ms. Bilyana Raeva, MEP, Ms. Ingrid Shikova, Information and Communication Advisor, Representation of the EC in Bulgaria, Mr. Said Hallaouy, from the Information office of the EP in Bulgaria, the District Governor of Gabrovo, Mr. Svetlozar Todorov, as well as Ms. Markova, the President of the Technical University in Gabrovo, which hosted the meeting in the University library.
Participants in the meeting – over 100 students from the Technical University, the Aprilovska High School and the Math High School in the city – had a chance to discuss issues related to the role of the European Parliament, the functions and responsibilities of the Bulgarian members of the EP, the topics they want to see on the agenda of the next European Parliament. They did not spare their critical questions and remarks, and received honest and direct answers from Ms. Bilyana Raeva and from the other quests at the meeting.
In the second part of the event, participants worked in groups and shared their ideas for the best reason why young people in Gabrovo, and all young people in Bulgaria, should vote in the upcoming elections. The prize for the winner – a very yummy cake! Here is what the young people in Gabrovo – some of whom will be voting for the first time in June – thought was a very good reason to go out and vote on June 7th: “If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to revolt!”
Besides that, all participants in the event had a chance to see what the 7th of June will bring for them: during the coffee break, everyone was happy to discover a very special “fortune” related to the election day. This is one of the “secret weapons” we have prepared to mobilize young people in the country to go out and vote.
If you share the belief of the youth people in Gabrovo, you can be a guest at our next events and use the opportunity to make your voice heard. The School of Politics will be holding meetings and information sessions in Tarnovo, Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Plovdiv, and Sofia. For current information on upcoming events, to chat with other young people, or to put a question to the candidates for European Paliament, please visit the website of the School at www.schoolofpolitics.org and the website, dedicated to the project “I Vote for Europe 2009” at www.azglasuvamzaevropa.eu.