5. Best practices and a case study
Please present a set of good practices (minimum 1-3 for small countries, 2-5 for medium
and 3-7 for large). Please choose one to describe it in greater detail (as a possible case
study for a later use).
A best practice is an example of a cultural activity for young people that achieves to foster the access and participation of
young people in culture. These can be festival, cultural services (such as libraries, museums, theatres), on-line tools or
spaces or other relevant experiences especially targeted to young people. Please select as different examples as possible
with, if possible, different target groups (minorities/rural/urban etc.).
For the best practices please follow the following template:
CASE 1
Name: Association of Independent Young Talents (AIYT)
Location: Sofia
Summary: Youth association for literature, creative writing and literary education.
Context/scenario: Youth association which originally aimed to provide support to young people
for developing and exhibiting their artistic potential, often through correspondence between arts.
At a later stage the association specialized in literature and youth and developed a nation wide
membership list.
Target group: Young poets, fiction authors, essayist, other writing youth between 15 – 35.
Brief description of activities:
 The Association organizes literature club ‘Ikar’ which carries poetry/literary discussions
and debates, information seminars for its members on styles and streams in poetry and
literature.
 The Association collects and finds channels for promoting the work of its members. It
supports a network with publishing houses and periodicals which publish cultural rubrics.
The most successful and long lasting cooperation of the Association is with the famous
New Pulse Newspaper on literature. The New Pulse is a revived ancestor of the Pulse
Newspaper – one of the first literary periodicals in the country after the Renaissance in
Bulgaria (dating back in 19 century for the country, because of the Ottoman period which
lasted till 1878).
 The Association publishes Anthologies of Bulgarian Poetry on annual basis. The works
collected in the Anthologies are selected with an open nationwide competition for young
poets. This is also the main channel for identifying new talents and inviting them for
membership in the Association.
 In 2008 the Association transforms its old website into a new url which provides a
constantly updated database with the works of its members. The website is interactive
and allows for evaluation of the provided readings. There is a ranking system between 2
and 6 (corresponding to the grading system at the country; 2 is poor; 6 is excellent). The
visitor of the url can read and express his satisfaction/criticism through the grading
system.
Partners involved:
 UNESCO (2002)
 UNDP
 Hungarian Cultural Institute, Sofia – 2002-2006 under Prof. Dyord Sondi’s Directorship
 The New Pulsee Newspaper
 Chitalishta in Sofia (ex. Slavianska Beseda Chitalishte) and the country (in Pleven,
Montana, Velingrad etc.).
 American University in Bulgaria Literature Club, Blagoevgrad
Budget/funding (if available): The Association is non-profit organization which is responsible for
generating its budget on project basis. Sponsors and funding are raised upon plans for particular
output.
Year: 2001-2006 – Association of Independent Young Talents, since 2006 – Literary Club Ikar
Lessons learned:
1) Flexible Partnership Scheme
During the period of the Association of Independent Young Talents 2001-2006, when its mission
involved a broader scope of ‘ensuring correspondence between arts’, the Associations did not
have permanent office and premises for events. The premises were provided by the partnering
chitalishta and cultural institutes. This however has turned into a threat for the independence and
autonomy of the association, since some of the chitalishte partners have tried to take over the
Association by assimilating its members into its own chitalishte membership list.
When the Lit Culb Ikar took the lead of the Association and it transformed into a literature focused
organization, the premises issue was solved through an agreement with a political party that
provided its offices for free for youth activity. The political organization has interests in supporting
youth but its interests are not competing with the Association and therefore, the Association
managed to save its identity and independence in spite of the financial difficulty through flexible
partnership scheme.
2) Gain of Management Skills among the Young People
The management of the Association improved when the Association:
a) narrowed its scope;
b) established a more realistic for the local environment mission and aim for itself,
c) adapted its objectives with correspondence to its own internal capacity for handling the
activities (voluntary work is limited with regards to available time and amount).
i.e the Association gained strategic management and planning skills as well as organizational
experience.
Results (if any):
 Anthology of the Young Bulgarian Poets 2006
 Anthology of the Young Bulgarian Poets 2007.
 Anthology of the Young Bulgarian Poets 2008.
 The New Pulse national newspaper’s editorial works in close cooperation with the
association and its members contribute most actively: New Discoveries (Young Author
Launched) and Poetic Meridians (Translation of poetry)
 Project for Correspondence between Arts; UNESCO IFPC Granted its Logo to be
published on all activities of the Association of Independent Young Talents under this
project.
 “Love ridge Initiative” – the Association organized and performed 100% voluntarily a 5
day life-show on the Love Bridge, Sofia. UNDP and Idea Saatchi&Saatchi had provided a
scene construction. The bridge was decorated with hearts by Ideo Saatchi&Saatchi and
UNDP as a symbol of Love, metaphorically presenting Corporate Social Responsibility
and UN Global Compact launch in Bulgaria, at the presence of the UNDP Resident
Representatives Meeting in Sofia 2002. The Association organized an International Poetry
Competition patronized by the national love poet Evtim Evtimov who attended the final
award ceremony on the bridge in person. Poetry reading in thematic groups organized in
relevance to the UNDP and UNICEF programs was organized (anti-drugs day
(philosophic love poetry); anti-aids day (erotic poetry), day of the child (innocent love
poetry) etc.).
 National and international personal awards for poetry and prose bestowed to members of
the Literary Club Ikar
url: http://www.bg-art.net/
CASE 2
Name:
“Ludmila Jivkova - Banner of Peace” Foundation
Location:
Sofia
Summary:
The “Ludmila Jivkova - Banner of Peace” Foundation is ancestor of the mission and ideas of Mrs.
Ludmila Jivkova, the inspirator and organizer of Children Assembly “Banner of Peace”. The motto
of the concept is “unity, creativity, beauty”. It involves children into creative activities and aims at
building intercultural tolerance and dialogue. The Foundation tries to provide sustainability of the
Children Assembly organization and implements ideas that are in the spirit of this mission.
Context/scenario:
The first Children Assembly “Banner of Peace” took place for the first time in 1979 in Bulgaria and
was dedicated to the International Year of the Child. The Assembly was planned to have a
biennial character and it was implementing this plan during the years of communism and shortly
after the death of Ludmila Jivkova. The transition period prevents the continuation of Ludmila
Jivkova’s idea of linking culture and youth for the world peace cause, stigmatizing this idea with
the label of being communistic. In 1999 the NGO “Ludmila Jivkova – Banner of Peace” Foundation
is established as an NGO which states its political independence and indifference and states
clearly its culture and youth mission. The NGO is a member of the International Banner of Peace
Movement, but has also its explicit national orientation towards the children of Bulgaria and their
ethical and aesthetical education and development.
Target group:
Children and Youth 4-16 years old
Brief description of activities:
The Foundation aims at reviving the Children Assembly Initiative. It conducts artistic competitions
between children in music, dance and painting. Participants for the Children Assembly are
selected and the Assembly is organized.
Organizing the Children Assembly 2004, the Foundation was patronized by Mrs Zorka Parvanova
(Bulgarian President’s wife) and Ms. Kattie Pardu (USA Ambassador in Bulgaria James Pardu’s
wife). The Foundation organized a flow of activities. Painting, singing and dancing performances
by children from all over the world were organized. The children sent their message of peace
through them. In addition, the children created together the longest children’s painting in the world.
The painting was dedicated to the Olympic Games in Athens 2004. When finished, the painting
was sent to the Olympic Movement Museum in Switzerland.
Partners involved:
Ideological Partner:
- International Banner of Peace Movement
Coorganizers of Children Assembly 2004:
- National Complex of Education in Culture “Gorna Banya”
- Atlantic Club
- Bulgarian Olympic Committee
- PR Media Practitioners Team
- Trivia
Sponsors:
- Billboard Print
- Sopharma
- Print House “Trud I Pravo”
- Coca-Cola
- Sofia Land Entertainment Park
- “Monitor” Newspaper
- Metro Media – Advertisement in the Metro
- Jolly
-
Electric Power Supply ‘Gorna Oriahovitza’
“Nedelia” Sweet Shop
Aroma Cosmetics
ASI Company
Stilmet
“24 Hours” Newspaper
BNT – Bulgarian National Television
Darik Radio
Nova TV
7 Days TV
bbt
Budget/funding (if available):
Corporate social responsibility – sponsorship of the Children Assembly 2004 – 20 business and
media organizations, among them general sponsor Allianz, Bulgaria
Year:
1979 – 1989 Children Assembly Banner of Peace
1999 onwards – “Ludmila Jivkova – Banner of Peace” Foundation
Lessons learned:
The case of the formation and activity of the NGO ‘Ludmila Jivkova-Banner of Peace’ Foundation
is an example of three main factors for success:

Sustainability of ideas – the NGO steps on an internationally proclaimed, supported and
famous with regard to its link with Bulgaria idea and a famous personality that was working for
this idea;

Political independence but with political support and cooperation – the NGO alienates itself
from political belonging to any party. Yet, it welcomes patronizing from political and diplomatic
personalities in terms of lobbying.

The funding is organized on ad-hock basis which so far is the main reason for the breaks in
the consistent work of the NGO and gives the impression of sporadity of its activities, though
its mission and strategy are very clear cut and well founded in Ludmila Jivkova’s theses on
culture. Such initiatives require constant flow of funding sources.
Results (if any):
-
Children Assembly was held in 1979, 1982, 1985, 1988 - 3 900 kids from 138 countries and
14 000 children from Bulgaria have taken part in them
2004 the NGO “Ludmila Jivkova - Banner of Peace” Foundation organized a modernized
version of the Children Assembly as continuation of the period before 1989.
url: http://www.bannerofpeace.hit.bg/index_oficial.htm