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Rumen Radev: The Guarantee of Our Future is the Courage of the Knowledgeable and Capable Young People, Defending their Civic Stance

The young generation’s commitment to the future and their worthy personal and professional development is a measure of the maturity of any society. This is what President Rumen Radev said, who together with Vice-President Iliana Iotova, took part in a ceremony on awarding young people who have achieved a gold and silver level at the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award - Bulgaria. The solemn ceremony, at which 62 youths were presented with silver and gold badges, was held in Svishtov.

The prestigious international initiative for personal development stimulates young people to make decisions on their future and to manage it, coming to know and developing their own abilities. “The classrooms outside school are practically the example the other people set. Whether this example will lead to motivation and success, to the development of leadership qualities in the young people, which are essential for society, depends on the milieu, on lending a helping hand on time,” the Head of State noted.

In the president’s words, what is inspiring and enlightening is namely the example set by the young people, who use their potential to serve society. “Knowledgeable, capable and requiring, they have started to more openly declare their clear civic stances and display resolve to defend them. The guarantee of our future is this courage of theirs,” Rumen Radev said. The Head of State added that even the generations with more experience can draw lessons from today’s young Bulgarians.

You are yet to study, work and prove yourselves in an ever more dynamic and unpredictable world, Rumen Radev addressed the participants in the program.  “To be successful in your personal ambitions, to achieve the common goals of your generation, you are yet to work hard with the people from this generation. However, you must not forget that it is namely the qualities, knowledge and skills that you develop in the youth program that are your advantage. They are the guarantee of your future success,” the President further added.

Rumen Radev thanked the teachers, mentors, trainers and parents who help the young people on their path in the program. The process of building confident young personalities in Bulgaria is extremely important and the role of the person lending a helping hand is invaluable, he said.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International award is an established international program, in which youths aged 14 to 24, with the help of leaders, achieve goals they have set themselves. In the three levels of the program – bronze, silver and gold, the young people challenge themselves and thus acquire skills and qualities that contribute to their personal development and active participation in the community they live in. The Head of State is patron of the award in Bulgaria. At the ceremony in Svishtov Rumen Radev awarded gold badges to 26 of the participants.

Vice-president Iliana Iotova awarded 36 youths who reached the silver level. She said the award was a valuable stimulus for the young people to come to know themselves and the world better, to be confident and follow their dreams.

Among the guests at the ceremony were also British ambassador to Bulgaria Robert John Dixon, Lyubomira Velcheva – CEO of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Bulgaria and Cvetlozar Petrov – chairman of the honorary trust of the award in Bulgaria, mentors and trainers.

Ambassador Dixon, who is a former participant in the program, said that the world we live in today makes the skills the program develops even more important.