Bulgaria

Bulgaria

TOLI has organized Holocaust and human rights education seminars for teachers in Bulgaria since 2015, in partnership with the American University in Bulgaria, Shalom Organization and the Central Israelite Religious Council of Bulgaria. 

Each year between 35 and 45 teachers from across the country have the opportunity to learn from internationally renowned lecturers and to think creatively and collaboratively about how to teach the Holocaust and social justice. The seminar includes interactive workshops focused on identity, stereotypes and prejudice, intercultural relations, and human rights as well as lectures about antisemitism, Nazi propaganda, the Holocaust in Europe, and the fate of the Jews in Bulgaria and Bulgarian-administered territories. A visit to the Sofia Synagogue and a kosher dinner offer insight into Jewish life and traditions, while the last day of the seminar is dedicated to teaching methods and to developing an action plan for putting the lessons of the seminar into practice.

The seminar aims to increase the quality of Holocaust and human rights education in Bulgaria. The program provides a rich opportunity to integrate national and international approaches in teaching about these topics and to understand the contemporary relevance of this important part of modern history. The methodology of the seminar is learner-centered, based on the principles of experiential learning and a human rights-based approach to education. Two teachers from the first cohort in Bulgaria were selected to work as co-facilitators of the seminar. They attended the TOLI seminar in New York City in June 2016 and were further prepared to contribute to organizing and facilitating the program upon their return to Bulgaria.

The objectives of the seminar are to:

• Develop participants’ awareness of historical and current dialectical discussions concerning the Holocaust and other instances of social injustice
• Develop teachers’ understanding of the impact of stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination at the individual, group, and society level
• Deepen teachers’ understanding of Jewish life before and after the Holocaust
• Increase appreciation for innovative, student- centered teaching methods, including extra- curricular activities and partnerships between schools and other institutions and organizations
• Promote an interdisciplinary approach to Holocaust and human rights education

2025 Program Report

Our 10th Bulgaria seminar, titled “Learning from the Past – Acting for the Future: Teaching about the Holocaust and Human Rights,” was held in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, from July 20–24, 2025. The program was organized by The Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI) in collaboration with the American University in Bulgaria – AUBG, Shalom Organization, and the Централен израилтянски духовен съвет / Central Israelite Religious Council of Bulgaria.

Designed to enhance Holocaust and human rights education across Bulgaria, the seminar brought together 30 educators to explore the history and legacy of the Holocaust, antisemitism, and broader issues of social injustice. Participants examined the roots and consequences of stereotypes and discrimination, studied Jewish life before and after the Holocaust, and gained practical tools for student-centered, interdisciplinary teaching grounded in democratic values.

The seminar prioritized an experiential, human rights-focused approach that balanced emotional engagement with intellectual inquiry. Over the course of 32 instructional hours, teachers engaged in sessions covering topics such as personal and group identity, prejudice, Holocaust history in the Balkans and Europe, contemporary antisemitism, and the distortion of Holocaust memory.

Presenters included Bulgarian and international scholars and educators, with contributions from institutions including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Maynooth University.

Participants also visited the Sofia Synagogue, met members of Bulgaria’s Jewish community, and reflected on the testimony of Holocaust survivor Assia Raberman. The program concluded with the development of school and community-based action plans, which educators will carry out locally in the coming months.

The seminar was held with assistance from the Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany), supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance.

Download TOLI Handbook in Bulgarian

Impact Grants

Graduates of the seminar have the opportunity to apply for an impact grant to develop projects related to Holocaust education and social justice. The grant consists of financial support and continuous mentorship throughout the school year. Every year, about 15 educators from Bulgaria benefit from the  TOLI Impact Grant Program.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany

Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance