The projects financed by the Balkan Fund in 2025

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As a result of the good and long-standing cooperation with our partners from Ireland, and with financial resources from the Balkan Fund, this year three projects of organizations, members of BAPID, were financed – “Parallel World” association from Plovdiv, “„Faith and love 92” association from Pazardzhik and “Protection” association from Lovech in partnership with Day care center for children and youth with disabilities “Rainbow” from Veliko Tarnovo.

The Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary under an initiative of the late Mr John O’Gorman set up a Balkan Fund to assist in supporting children and adults with intellectual disabilities. One of the Trustees of the Balkan fund is the CEO of Inclusion Ireland.

A primary focus of the initiative was helping to establish Parent and Friends Organisations.
Bulgaria was the Country which was agreed to be supported. This support was the result of a collaboration between the late Professor Timcev and Mr John O’Gorman.

The projects financed by the Balkan Fund in 2025 are aimed at developing social skills in children and young people with moderate, severe and profound intellectual disabilities, as well as skills for coping with daily activities and creating conditions for their inclusion in the community; social inclusion and support for children with intellectual disabilities removed from institutions; conducting activities related to adapted physical education for children and young people with intellectual disabilities.

ABILITY FEST SOFIA – TOGETHER WE CAN DO EVERYTHING

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Sunday is a wonderful day for having fun with friends, family and kids, for meetings with closed ones and new people that we meet for first time; for exiting emotions and shared moments. On Sunday, 8th   of October all this will be possible at ABILITY FEST SOFIA 2017. The interesting and still not so famous venue in Sofia – The Largo (Largoto-part of the Ancient complex “Serdika”) – will be transformed and filled with the energy of all participants in ABILITY FEST SOFIA.

We, Bulgarian Center for Not-For-Profit Law, Bulgarian Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, Lumos, Maria’s World Foundation and Best Buddies Bulgaria are the organizers of this event. We are working with and for people with disabilities struggling for their better and dignified lives. In the 10thAnniversary year of adoption of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, we have decided to address the matter of “disability” topic to the community in a different way.

The ABILITY FEST SOFIA is a challenge to those who wants to test themselves and their skills to cope with unusual situations in a playful and entertaining way. We believe that different abilities only allow us to find an unique place of each one of us in the world.

On October 8th, all festival attendants will be able to discover their abilities through a special pre-selected and developed games, tasks and labyrinths. For the most devoted ones, there will be surprises and awards. Various workshops will be organized throughout the day where people with disabilities will demonstrate different art techniques to express themselves and their imagination. Every participant in the ABILITY FEST 2017 will be able to create with his hands a peace of art and to keep it as good memory.

ABILITY FEST SOFIA 2017 will host also two exclusive exhibitions – a photographic called “We can too” created by Lumos Foundation, and the second one named “I decide=I am” by Nadezhda Georgieva and texts by Yana Buhrer Tavanier. The art works illustrate the right to work and equality of people with disabilities in a decent way.

We have prepared many  surprises  for you thanks to the support of our partners Global Initiative in Psychiatry-Sofia, Synergia Foundation, ASSIST – Assistive Technologies Foundation, Listen up Foundation, Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum and with  the special cooperation of Dextrophobia Rooms. For more information, you can visit our event page on Facebook-Ability Fest Sofia 2017 and if you would like to have an unique experience and discover yourself, you are most welcome to be our guests at Largoto hall on Sunday, October 8th at 11 a.m.

Ability Fest Sofia. Together we can do everything!

Ability fest Sofia 2017 is held under the patronage of Sofia Municipality.

With the support of: Right Rental, Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria, Parachute-ka.

With the media support of: Bulgarian National Radio, OFF News, NGOBG.info, DARIK Radio