PROMOTION OF THE CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE
The Ministry of Culture works to promote the creative development of young people, including children and students from ethnic communities trough scolarships to gifted children and students, the organization of festivals, competitions, exhibitions, performances and other events, the provision of modern conditions for the implementation of quality educational process and training of highly qualified personnel in the field of arts and culture.
The acquisition of democratic and intercultural competences is bound to and begins to be perceived as an integral part of the policies for cultural diversity. Significant contribution to the development of intercultural education in Bulgaria are state government institutions (ministries and agencies), through the development of strategies, plans, programmes, legislation, financing of major projects and their management. State educational requirements for educational content and curricula provide an opportunity to learn about human rights, the laws of a democratic state; the structure and functions of civil society, human values and global problems of the modern world.
Cultural and linguistic diversity is an important factor for equity and quality in education. Turkish, Roma, Armenian and Hebrew are studied as a mother tongue in Bulgaria within the framework of mandatory elective subjects and free elective subjects, with training being provided with state educational standards and curricula; Targeted training in mother tongue is carried out in mandatory elective and/or free elective training as per curricula that take into account the cultural and educational needs of Roma and expand the intercultural aspect of the curricula for mandatory training;
Mandatory training in a foreign language in Bulgaria starts from the second grade, but it is possible to study a foreign language as early as kindergarten and first grade. Learning two foreign languages until completion of secondary education in Bulgaria is compulsory; 24 languages are studied in the Bulgarian high schools – both widespread and more rarely used.
For the expression and the development of young talents the organization of festivals, competitions, exhibitions, performances and other events that enable the expression and development of young talents is regularly supported institutionally and financially. The events are supported through competitive sessions of the Ministry of Culture in the field of theatre, music and dance. Part of the coherent policy on the promotion, protection and popularization of cultural diversity is the annual selection and presentation as genre accents in the national cultural calendar, prepared by the Ministry of Culture, of major events and festivals of the Roma community in Bulgaria.
Another area of this policy is the provision of modern conditions for the implementation of quality educational process and training of highly qualified personnel in the field of arts and culture, support career development, individual learning and access to human knowledge.
Museums also create conditions for partnerships with NGOs, individuals and legal entities to stimulate amateur art of young talents in the field of art, providing exhibition space and technical assistance for the implementation of individual or temporary exhibitions. Club forms such as "Young Friends of the Museum" allow for the inclusion of young people who are interested in the theme of the museum to participate in various museum activities and events, as well as to work as volunteers. This model is used by the National Polytechnic Museum. In order to ensure broad access to cultural heritage and, museums in the country have provided one day a week with free entry and exemption from payment of an entry ticket or payment of reduced prices for children, students and people with disabilities. The National History Museum provides children and young people from different minority groups (as well as children with special educational needs) with the opportunity not only to have free access to visit the museum but also to participate in a variety of initiatives.
To promote the creative development of young people and intercultural awareness.
During the period from 2005 to 2016 scholarships and lump-sum financial support were provided annually by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the municipalities. Under these programmes funds were granted each calendar year from the central budget for scholarships and lump-sum assistance to nearly 1,000 children and gifted students.
The programme "Training of Professionals in the Field of Art and Culture" provides support and methodological guidance to 23 schools of arts and culture. Schools conduct training on strategic professions and specialties involving the preservation of national identity, traditions and culture, the professionalization of artistic and creative potential, the development of Bulgarian culture and arts and the implementation of the cultural policy of Bulgaria.
The Ministry of Culture to supported 74 projects for publication of books in the field of Bulgarian and translated fiction, Bulgarian and translated humanities, literature for children and adolescents, cultural and historical heritage and contemporary culture were supported just in 2014 under the Programme "Help the Book".