From 12 to 16 October 2026, the first study visit within the project BSB01271 – “Youth Advocacy for Local Affairs” (YALA), funded under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme, was hosted by the project’s Bulgarian partners in Stara Zagora.

The Georgian delegation included members of the project team from Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University, together with Tinatin Khanjaliashvili, First Deputy Chairperson of the Telavi Municipal Council; Teona Chavelashvili, Public Relations Coordinator at the Administration of the State Representative in Kakheti Region; and Tornike Shubitidze, Acting Head of the LEPL Youth Agency.

The study visit was also important in terms of strengthening inter-university cooperation. Part of the programme took place at Trakia University in Stara Zagora, where members of the delegation met with the University’s Vice-Rector. During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities for future cooperation between Telavi State University and Trakia University.

As part of the visit, participants also met with the Deputy Mayor of Stara Zagora, who is directly involved in the project and supports youth participation in public life. Meetings were also held with the Young Ombudsman of Stara Zagora, the Young Mayor, and representatives of an international youth organisation. Participants learned about their strategies, working approaches, and initiatives aimed at promoting youth engagement.

During the study visit, young participants from Greece also presented their activities and shared their experience. The presentations and discussions provided participants with an opportunity to compare the approaches and practices of Bulgarian and Greek young people and to explore different models of youth participation in public life.

The final day of the visit was dedicated to evaluating the study visit, discussing project management issues, and planning future activities. The next face-to-face meeting of the project partners will take place in Georgia, with Telavi hosting the project participants in April 2027.

The YALA (BSB01271) project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme.