EDS Winter University Sofia 2025
From Thursday 27 February to Sunday 2 March 2025, the Winter University of the European Democrat Students (EDS) was held in Sofia, hosted by its Bulgarian member organizations MGERB and FISS Bulgaria, and bringing together sixty delegates from 25 countries, to focus on local democracy, youth participation at the local and regional levels, and inclusion.
The Winter University started with a welcome reception on Thursday evening. EDS Vice-Chair and Sofia Governor Stefan Arsov and EDS Secretary-General Vladimir Kljajić delivered opening remarks, after which the delegates had the chance to have a Q&A with MEP Andrey Novakov and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Petar Mladenov.
On Friday morning, the delegates had the chance to visit the National Assembly to hear directly from GERB Chairman and former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, current Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, and a number of government ministers and MPs. We are happy to see a return to normalcy in Bulgaria under strong EPP leadership.
In the afternoon, the delegates met with a number of municipal councillors of GERB, exchanged with guest speakers on topics like AI and a circular economy, and discussed motions for resolution in Policy Working Groups in preparation for the Council Meeting the next day.
On Saturday, we held our regular Council Meeting to vote on resolutions and discuss all kinds of internal matters. During the Council Meeting, the delegates also had an exchange of views with a series of experts on space and defence matters.
The Council elected a new Vice-Chair in our Bureau: Rodolph Zgheib from our member organization Lebanese Forces. We congratulate him and wish him well in this new position.
Last but not least, we are happy that our organization is growing. The Council approved CSL Romania as a full member and KSF Sweden as an observer member. As our Chairman Francesco Sismondini rightly noted, it was a historic day for EDS!
