The project Increasing Democratic Competence and Understanding of Human Rights among Young People is implemented by Partners Bulgaria Foundation and Human Rights Academy, Norway, with financial support of EUR 171 000 provided by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Financial Mechanism. The goal of the project is to improve young people's understanding about human rights and democratic citizenship.

Partners Bulgaria Foundation will work with schools and museums to increase the democratic competence and human rights understanding among young people.

The project will be implemented from October 2019 to February 2022 and aims to contribute to education in democracy and human rights education among children and young people. In cooperation with the Human Rights Academy, Norway, and with the participation of the Norwegian Human Rights Network of National Museums, this unique model that brings local museums into human rights education will be introduced among Bulgarian stakeholders.

A large-scale study of opinion and understanding of young people on human rights is envisaged, as well as an assessment of existing educational practices in this regard.

As a result of this international cooperation, an online platform with educational materials and other resources for human rights education will be made available for public use, as well as a guide to human rights education in the work of museums and other key community institutions. A series of seminars on human rights will build capacity of teachers, municipal officers, youth facilitators and student councils from 4 pilot municipalities in the country – Montana, Varshets, Blagoevgrad and Gotse Delchev.

Youth initiatives will be implemented in the communities, thus giving young people an opportunity to bring into practice what has been learned. This way the knowledge gained by young people will be reinforced through local community actions and transformed into lasting attitudes, showing the development of a democratic culture.