From May 13 to 15, Sofia hosts the European initiative "Youth on the move". The organizer of the event is the European Commission in partnership with Sofia Municipality. For three days in a specially constructed pavilion in the City Park close to Battenberg Square, Bulgarian youngsters have the chance to learn about opportunities for mobility, education, volunteering and employment abroad provided under various European programs. Since 2011 until now, 80 such information events have been organized across the EU, visited by over 2 million people. The European initiative "Youth on the move" aims to promote the mobility of students and trainees and improve youth employment. It started in 2010 as a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth Europe 2020. The start of this year's awareness campaign in this country was given by the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor.

Martin Petrov is one of the young Bulgarians who have already managed to benefit from the various opportunities for youth mobility. Under the Erasmus program, he studies one semester international marketing and management in the Danish Zibat Campus College. Upon successful completion of the program and graduation from the College of Management, Trade and Marketing at home, he has a chance for another year and a half to specialize in the same Danish University. Through the European Voluntary Service, however, Martin spent a year in Romania, where he taught English to underprivileged children from different social groups. The participation in the European Youth Congress gives him opportunities to travel. The young man was also a member of the Youth Team Europe, created on the initiative of the European Commission and involving volunteers willing to share their experience and knowledge of the European institutions in an accessible language to students from around the country. Here are the benefits that he discovers for himself from the opportunities for youth mobility:

"The experience gained during the three years that I was abroad is indescribable. My participation in the European Youth Congress allowed me to attend the 64^th meeting of the United Nations in Bonn. There we had the opportunity to meet with Commissioner Potočnik and not only meet, but together we debated on the importance for young people to participate in decision-making, which for me was an extraordinary experience. Then we were in England, where they met with various NGOs. We also lobbied for the establishment of a youth office in Development and Cooperation DG with the EU. All these meetings have built me as a person and professional, gave me experience that I had nowhere else to gain."

The information campaign is accompanied by many attractions, music and dance lessons. Ambassador of the Youth on the Move for Bulgaria is popular Bulgarian musician Kalin Velyov.

English version: Rossitsa Petcova