On April 9th, the capacity-building event “Our Climate, Our City, Our Future” took place in Dobrich, organized by BG Be Active in partnership with the Black Sea Center for Development (BSCD). The event gathered citizens, municipal administration representatives, a municipal councilor, and NGOs to discuss local ecological challenges and opportunities for youth engagement.
The program was divided into two panels: “Ecological Challenges in Dobrich – A Local Perspective” and “Ideas for Transforming and Creating Youth Spaces in Dobrich.”
The discussion in the first panel, based on a survey conducted by BG Be Active, concluded that the Dobrich Municipality is open to citizen initiatives, but a general lack of public familiarity with green policies indicates a need for more such capacity-building events. The main issue identified was the general public’s disengagement with climate change, which they perceive as an abstract and political matter.
In the second panel, focused on youth spaces, participants were divided into four teams, each developing a concrete project proposal for youth activation to be funded by the Dobrich Municipality’s Citizen Initiatives Program (up to BGN 4,000).
Through participant voting, the top-ranked idea was “Creation of colorful inter-block spaces,” followed by “Renovation of a sports ground,” “Promotion of composting,” and “Construction of a children’s playground.”
The event achieved tangible results by generating concrete project ideas with ecological themes and strengthening partnerships between the civic sector, local administration, and schools.
The main takeaway is that the event’s philosophy ensures a sustainable effect by empowering participants to generate ideas that can lead to real-world results. The organizers announced that the Black Sea Center for Development is committed to submitting the top-ranked project idea to the Dobrich Municipality for funding.
This direct translation of a capacity-building exercise into a concrete action plan guarantees a lasting impact beyond the event itself.
Placemaking for Climate Mitigation is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.