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Students from Petar Bonev Primary School in the town of Perushtitsa took part in training sessions under the “Theatre of Emotions” program. The topics our team explored with them were focused on developing creativity, imagination, and creative thinking, as well as on recognizing and managing children’s emotions.

During the event, we used art-therapeutic methods, role-playing games, and discussions that helped the young participants express their inner worlds in a fun and interactive way. By using the “Brainstorming” method, the fifth-grade students were able to find unconventional solutions to the tasks they were given and demonstrated their creative ideas. The inclusion of such methods in the educational process encourages the development of skills such as critical and associative thinking, teamwork, perseverance, self-expression, courage, adaptability, flexibility, and others.

In November, part of the team of the Garden of Knowledge Foundation took part as guest lecturers at Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov Secondary School in the town of Parvomay. Students from the 11th and 12th grades participated in several interactive training sessions on the topic “Mission, Talent and Career,” exploring opportunities for their future professional paths, career development, and successful realization of young people.

The participants reflected, discussed, and shared with their classmates their dreams, goals, and talents, and how these could help them discover their vocation and achieve professional fulfillment in the future.

The activities carried out were part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

On November 15 and 16, the 13th National Conference of the National Association of Children and Young People with Diabetes (NACYPD) was held in the city of Plovdiv under the title “Diabetes and Well-being: in Kindergarten, at School, and in the Workplace.” The event was organized on the occasion of World Diabetes Day – November 14. All participants had the opportunity to take part in lectures and discussions led by distinguished professionals from various fields.

The Garden of Cognition Foundation supports the causes of the National Association of Children with Diabetes in Bulgaria and, during this year’s conference, participated with interactive and educational workshops aimed at bringing joy to the young participants.

We believe that every child deserves equal access to education, healthcare, and social services, as well as the opportunity for a calm and secure childhood.

Following the successful performance of the participants in the educational program “Theatre of Emotions,” on October 28, 2025, at the initiative of Ms. Lalka Hristeva, Principal of Petar Bonev Primary School in the town of Perushtitsa, the young actors once again reenacted a situation of peer bullying in a school setting. During the Forum Theatre performance, more than 80 students from grades 5 to 7 and their teachers took part. The active audience stepped into the roles of the actors, proposing different solutions and changing characters in order to effectively support the victim of bullying.

Forum Theatre provided the audience with the opportunity not only to observe but also to influence the development of the storyline. In this case, students were able to suggest alternative ways of addressing the problem, which encouraged them to think critically and creatively. This also helped them develop skills of empathy and understanding toward their peers.

The initiative was held on the occasion of Kindness Day, and the performance concluded with a call in that same spirit—to be kinder and to carry change within ourselves, by not remaining passive when we encounter injustice or situations of bullying.

On October 30, the Garden of Knowledge Foundation organized a sports tournament between students from Hristo Botev Vocational High School of Viticulture and Winemaking in the town of Perushtitsa and the Agricultural Vocational High School from the town of Kuklen. The event was filled with excitement and included joint activities involving students and teachers from both schools. The tournament opened with a performance by the majorette group of the host school, followed by football and volleyball matches. All participants played with great enthusiasm and determination. First place in the sports competitions was won by the students of the Vocational High School of Viticulture and Winemaking.

The event “Young People Create” includes a series of activities related to youth participation and democracy, active citizenship, and sustainability. It is part of the annual campaign of the Eurodesk network – TIME TO MOVE 2025.

The event was organized by the Garden of Knowledge Foundation in its role as a Eurodesk multiplier and is part of the annual Time to Move campaign.

Link to the official website:
https://timetomove.eurodesk.eu/

On October 28, the Forum Theatre performance “Theatre of Emotions” was held at the Prosveta–1862 Community Cultural Center in the town of Perushtitsa. Through this interactive art form, the audience was able to come face to face with some of the challenges young people encounter in their everyday lives.

In preparation for their final performance, the participants went through a series of training modules related to art and self-expression, recognizing emotions and feelings, and exploring the power and role of stereotypes and prejudices in our society. Step by step, they entered the world of Forum Theatre.

After two months of training within the “Theatre of Emotions” program, the young participants took the stage in front of their parents, teachers, and classmates to address the issue of aggression and to open a space for discussion on the topic. The actors presented various scenes reflecting real-life situations from their daily lives. Through their performances, they demonstrated how small actions can lead to big changes and how every individual carries the power within themselves to make those changes happen.

When we talk about topics related to aggression and violence, we often feel the urge to remain silent. These issues are painful and complex, but precisely for this reason, it is important to discuss them openly. As adults with richer life experience, we know that not everything is simply black or white—there are many shades in between, sometimes even multilayered ones. Helping young people understand these nuances is key to coping with such challenges.

The audience was actively engaged in the process by proposing alternative solutions, changing characters, and offering hope and support to the participants. This allowed the situation to be viewed from different perspectives and highlighted how important empathy and understanding are in resolving conflicts. The audience also focused on a very key role in the performance—that of the “observer” who does not take action. When such an observer steps out of passivity, they can trigger an “avalanche” of active responses that support a person who finds themselves in a hopeless situation.

At the end of October, we held a series of training sessions within the educational program “Theatre of Emotions” with students from Aleko Konstantinov Vocational High School of Economics in the town of Kardzhali.

The topics we explored focused on education through art and its power to influence, inspire change, and help us express ourselves and understand our emotions. We explored the world of creative thinking by finding unconventional solutions, shifting perspectives, and using imagination. Particularly valuable was the topic of Stereotypes and Prejudices, which sparked many discussions based on real-life examples.

Our young participants entered the world of non-formal education through group activities, role-playing games aimed at team building and cooperation. They gained greater confidence in sharing and embarked on a journey of self-discovery and understanding of their inner world.

Over the past weeks, our youngest participants in the “Theatre of Emotions” program have been working with great enthusiasm to prepare their first performance. Together, we went through many emotional moments filled with laughter, tears, and unforgettable experiences. These moments not only brought us closer together but also helped us better understand the feelings of others and of ourselves.

We are proud of their hard work and dedication and are happy to invite you to our upcoming performance on October 28 at 6:00 PM at the Prosveta Community Cultural Center in the town of Perushtitsa. During the performance, these wonderful young people will introduce us to a unique form of theatrical art that actively involves the audience. Through several scenes addressing peer aggression, the audience will have the power to stop the action and propose different solutions to the problem presented, making each performance unique and dynamic. This is a wonderful way to engage with important social topics, better understand the world of our children, and foster qualities such as critical thinking and empathy.

The educational program “Theatre of Emotions” was developed by the team of the Garden of Cognition Foundation. It aims to support young people on the path to their personal and emotional development, as well as to influence the creation of social change in society.

Forum theatre is an interactive method that is at the heart of the program, in which the audience not only watches the performance, but also actively participates in it. This form of theatre is used to explore and solve social problems through role-playing and discussions. The method aims to address one of the most pressing issues in contemporary society – aggression among young people. Through a series of scenes, actors will recreate and participants will see different situations from the daily lives of young people, having the opportunity to propose alternative solutions for their resolution. The public will be encouraged to join the discussions and offer their own ideas for addressing the problem.

And so our actors are preparing through role-playing and simulations to create a performance that tells a true story from reality. And we look forward to meeting their talent, imagination and good acting.