Forty-seven winners from the European Union's 28 member states have joined the all-European ceremony for the European Parliament Citizen's Prize underway in Brussels on 14 and 15 October. Bulgaria's holder of the prestigious distinction is Future Now 2006 Cultural Center in the village of Gudevitsa. Its team has created a School in Nature and has been singled out for its contribution into better understanding and community building at the local level, as well as for achievements in culture and education.

Future Now Cultural Center in the Rhodope Mountains is staffed with specialists trained in informal education. The team consists of young, active and positive people. Over time the center has trained more than 600 children from across the country.

The European Parliament Citizen's Prize ceremony was honored by the President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev. Here is the way he defines the role of the prize and the input of this year's winner into a positive change in Bulgarian society:

„There is hardly a Bulgarian national who does not take pride in one of the country's oldest educational institutions - the chitalishta (cultural centers). Their model has no analogue worldwide. These centers are strongholds of local traditions and culture. These unique hubs of enlightenment that emerged more than 150 years ago are the most vivid proof of the love for knowledge; they are the guardians of creativity, continuity and the Bulgarian spirit. It is precisely this way that Future Now Cultural Center operates. We are very proud that the center's team is this year's holder of European Parliament Citizen's Prize from Bulgaria. With the wonderful project School in Nature in the village of Gudevitsa, Smolyan region, the center trains young and active Bulgarians open to the world; people keen to contribute to the development of society, democracy and human rights.”

Future Now 2006 center is organized and led by Todor Stoychev, a young visionary with a few ideas how life in small villages and towns could be improved. He believes that everything starts with the education and upbringing of children and adolescents and only then a good example grows into a model to attract followers. Here is more from him about cultural centers, prizes and life in small communities:

„As followers of the mission of the first cultural centers in Bulgaria that emerged 150 years ago, today we believe that with our efforts we contribute to a new national revival. It has become necessary and its success is of great importance for Bulgarian society. We want to make a journey back to values, culture, tradition and human understanding in the context of the present-day world. We believe in the need to transform education because it can become more real and attractive, and also enriching for teachers, pupils and anybody who is part of education and training. For close to ten years in the village of Gudevitsa we have transformed the old building of the school and the cultural center thanks to hundreds of volunteers from across the country. We have built churches and chapels, brought life back to this neighborhood where a school had stood unattended by pupils for more than 30 years. The prize that we have received is in fact the reward for our volunteers; it is European acknowledgement for our work in education, for our efforts to rethink local traditions, culture and above all the life of young Bulgarians. We are proud of the little things. We are happy to see the results we achieve in trainings we have launched in Stara Zagora, Burgas, Varna. Kazanlak etc. We organize local youth academies in a bid to strengthen civil society among young people. But there are also little things that we engage in. For instance, we cultivate a small garden where we grow the famous and very healthy Mursalski tea herb; collect rainwater and take care of nature. This way we provide a worthy example to locals of how they could take proper care of their town or village. In Gudevitsa we hold a seminar with participants from various parts of Bulgaria. With them we discuss life in remote regions, growing organic vegetables and waste recycling by composting.”

Since 2008 the European Parliament Citizen's Prize has been given to persons and organizations that have contributed into better integration of EU member states' citizens; into promoting cross-border cooperation; for achievements in culture and for strengthening the European spirit.

English Daniela Konstantinova