On 10–11 October 2024, a training titled “Citizens and Institutions – How to Ask and How to Receive?” was held in Sofia, organised by the Bulgarian Centre for Not-for-Profit Law as part of the Birds in BG initiative. The training was attended by Diana Parparova, our volunteer, who was one of the twenty-five volunteers selected to take part in the two-day event.
The main aim of the training was to introduce teams from civic organisations, informal groups and activists to their opportunities to be part of social change.
The first day was devoted to the opportunities the law gives us to participate actively in state power and local self-government. The opportunities for citizens to access information, when it should be provided to them, and the ways they can defend themselves in case of refusal by the administration, were also discussed.
The focus of the second part of the training was on the legislative process — how normative acts are drafted, discussed and adopted at national and local level, and at which stage of this process citizens can take part, and how they can do so. A practical task was also set, on drafting an expert opinion, aimed at familiarising the audience with the format and style of this type of document. In the final part, participants had the opportunity to learn about advocacy — how it works and how it could benefit civic organisations.
If you would like to join as a Volunteer with the Protection of Biodiversity in Bulgaria Foundation, you can contact us using the details provided or fill in the online form here: