On August 7–8, 2025, the Youth Center in Karlovo held an off-site training titled “M&Ms = Girls and Boys with Equal Chances” in the town of Hisarya. The event aimed to promote gender equality and challenge stereotypical role distribution in society.
Young people from the municipalities of Karlovo and Sopot:
- Discussed stereotypes related to beauty and gender roles perpetuated by social media and advertising, and presented posters on the topic;
- Conducted research and introduced their peers to the stories of successful women in “traditionally male” professions such as Rayna Kasabova, Margaret Thatcher, Frida Kahlo, and Marie Curie, as well as men in “typically female” roles such as world-renowned chefs, models, and hairdressers;
- Learned about the challenges faced by women in sports, art, and politics;
- Discovered the rebellious work of the feminist art group “Guerrilla Girls,” who fight for equal rights and opportunities for women and who, this year, visited Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian Fund for Women;
- Demonstrated that both girls and boys can cook well—on the first day they prepared a fruit salad for dinner, and on the second day they baked traditional Bulgarian pastries (banitsa) for the group.
The organizers believe that the sensitized participants—both girls and boys—will go on to share their knowledge with friends, family, and peers, thus contributing together to the building of a society based on equality, equal rights, and equal opportunities for self-expression and development for all.
The training was implemented under the “Mission Possible” program with the financial support of the Bulgarian Fund for Women through their “Birds in BG” project, co-funded by the European Union.
The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Bulgarian Fund for Women, the European Union, or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the BFW, the EU, nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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