Subnational leaders from across Europe gathered for a seminar in Sofia, Bulgaria on 6-7 November.
The external seminar hosted by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) focused on youth participation in the EU. The event was hosted by CoR member, Sofia Municipal Councillor, Tsvetelina Simeonova-Zarkin.
The seminar, ‘Empowering young voices: European cities and regions and their role in youth participation,’ was organised by the CoR SEDEC Commission. It brought together local leaders, youth delegates, entrepreneurs and EU representatives to explore strategies for youth inclusion. In Sofia, over 30% of residents are under 35 years old.
Simeonova-Zarkin highlighted the importance of empowering youth talents:
“In Sofia, we believe that young people are not just the future. They are already shaping our cities today. Empowering them means giving them trust, mentorship and real opportunities to lead.”
The seminar presented a toolkit for empowering young people in cities and regions through skills development and entrepreneurial opportunities. Panellists explored practical approaches to making the Youth Guarantee effective at local level.
Hristo Petrov MEP (We Continue the Change, BG) highlighted that the Youth Guarantee, for which he is a Rapporteur in the European Parliament, has helped nearly 60 million young people in unemployment since 2013. In Bulgaria, unemployment is now lower than the EU average.
Unemployment initiatives include 'youth mediators,' who help their peers navigate local job markets. The state supports up to 200 social enterprises that hire vulnerable young people. Sofia’s municipal council channels support into youth through its “Voice of Young People” initiative. This funds youth organisations working on social, cultural, educational and inclusion projects, with 115 initiatives completed last year.
The panel included input from those planning to launch Sofia’s first dedicated youth centre in the Nadezhda district. Designed to support the transition from childhood to adulthood, it will offer personal development, career guidance and targeted support for vulnerable and Roma youth.
Another project is the Social Teahouse in Varna which trains and employs young people who grew up in institutions and foster homes, as well as young women from crisis centres. Participants are paired with personal mentors to help them finish school.
Panel participants discussed building innovation ecosystems where young creators can thrive. A municipal guarantee fund shares risk with banks, and a “sandbox” allowing about ten start-ups a year to test products in real urban conditions. This approach recently helped launch the local metro ticketing app.
All the ingredients are already in place for Sofia to become a global startup hub. The city invests in talent development by offering courses in 17 languages in schools. The broader goal is to fill gaps in the market and ensure that growth is inclusive for all. Young founders can face isolation without family support which hinders success.
Jozef Viskupič, Chairman of the Trnava Self-Governing Region in Slovakia, introduced his draft CoR Report on the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy and emphasised the potential of rural areas and need for decentralised decision-making. He called for supportive ecosystems, fresh ideas and including young innovators in policymaking.
Participants joined the study visit to Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria’s first science and technology park. The visit showcased its support of small and medium businesses by providing access to new technologies. A cultural visit highlighted youth-led spaces in Sofia, linking on-the-ground experience to the seminar’s policy discussions.
Cities and regions across the EU have a collective responsibility to support the ambitions of young people. Sofia has emerged as a hub of ideas which can shape a more inclusive future for young people. The event served as an inspiring model for subnational leaders across the European sphere and encouraged concrete action.
Watch the recording of the seminar here.