In Gabrovo – a city in the geographical center of Bulgaria, once described as the Bulgarian Manchester, but today facing demographic challenges – there are young people who believe that the future can be better and that this largely depends on their personal choices. One of them is Marian Serafimov, for whom social activism is not an obligation, but a natural way of life.

"I have been working in a youth center in Gabrovo for more than 3 years as an educational mediator and I have been a facilitator and head trainer at various seminars in Bulgaria and abroad. I was a youth ambassador for democracy under a project of the American University in Blagoevgrad, under which we organized the first youth assembly in Bulgaria. We gathered 50 young people and discussed various topics - how to improve youth employment in Bulgaria to really keep young people, so they don’t just leave and never return."

In his words one can feel the confidence of a person who has already seen how change begins - with a conversation, with a cause, with a group of young people gathered from different parts of the country. Marian also has another public role, which he perceives as a personal mission.

"I now have the title of European Ambassador for the Climate Pact from the European Commission - an initiative that aims to spread sustainable practices in the European Union, and if possible, beyond it."

What makes a young man from Gabrovo be involved in causes that are usually taken on by large organizations? For Marian, the answer is simple – people.

"I am motivated by people, I am quite an extrovert. I get recharged by meeting and communicating with new people."

Working at the Youth Center of the Municipality of Gabrovo gives him the opportunity to communicate with many young people and influence them. He believes that as a mentor to adolescents, his role is to provide a spark that can ignite a new idea. He was also busy with this during one of the inspiring events during the "Uzana Polyana Fest" in the summer. He proudly lists the big number of initiatives implemented by the young people – the "Rivers of the City" festival, a charity concert with which talented young people raise funds to help their peers from the city, trainings, youth exchanges. Their activities are financially supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Municipality of Gabrovo. The team is small but colourful and that is precisely its strength.

"We are seven people, but we are fundamentally different and that is our strength. I can communicate easily with the more expressive young people, while my colleague, who is more introverted, has incredible contact with the quieter ones. Perhaps, this is the key to a successful team – to have different people but one common goal. That is a better environment for living and building a family."

One of Marian's most impressive ideas is a machine for recycling plastic bottles and producing plastic wire for 3D printers.

"I cannot say that the idea is entirely mine but I saw it through my perspective and started looking for a way to implement it. I contacted professors from the Technical University of Gabrovo, who helped me with some technical details. We all live on one planet and everyone should be interested in ecology. I might be a little more interested and want to involve more people. If we don't take care of our planet, we don't have option B. We have to be careful, as we see that disasters happen and people live more unhappily. And when you are in good harmony with nature, life is much better both personally and professionally."

When he talks about Gabrovo and his dream of living in a more ecological environment, Marian sounds both rational and emotional.

"I see a lot of potential in Gabrovo and we are really moving in this direction. We have electric buses and the infrastructure is being modernised, which makes me very happy. Three years ago I was wondering where to live, but Gabrovo kept me with the platform it gave me through the Youth Center and the ability to impact society."

His future includes travel and development but the direction is clear.

"I would like to get a master's degree, maybe a doctorate. I also want to go to another country for a year or two to see new work models, to gather experience and ideas. But then I would come back. I dream of starting a family in Gabrovo."

His words convey the confidence of a man who believes that change begins with small steps. Examples like this remind us that the future of Bulgarian cities depends to a large extent on the young people who decide to stay and to act.

Author: Elena Karkalanova

Publication in English: Alexander Markov

Photos: Elena Karkalanova, Facebook/ Marian Serafimov