25.02.2014Smiling campaign - “Life is like a mirror: if you smile you will get a smile back”
The campaign “Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you will get a smile back” has been organized from bright youngsters from the club “Youth is tolerance” associated with the Center “Amalipe”. The campaign brought into the fold the Centers and the Local Clubs for community development. Bulgarian, Roma and Turkish youngsters had pleased the citizens for more tolerance and friendliness. The campaign passed off like a youth flash mob. With smiles on their faces, flowers and mirrors prepared before that, the YTFG cheered the passers and made them smile. The volunteers handed out bouquets from snowdrops and hand-made paper flowers. On the flowers were written interesting facts for the different ethnics living in Bulgaria and also wise thoughts from Nelson Mandela. Through this campaign the youths opposed to the hate speech, the non-tolerance and the propagation of interethnic pressure. The last three went through the roof after the act of vandalism in Plovdiv that happened on February, the 14th.
Here you can find more information and photos by cities:
Veliko Tarnovo: Students and undergraduates from “Youth is tolerance” and moderators from the center for community development, Veliko Tarnovo, got thousands of hand-made motley flowers and a lot of smiles made by citizens from Veliko Tarnovo. Youngsters with big smiles gave out paper flowers as mark of tolerance in 9:00 o’clock in the morning in front of the Veliko Tarnovo county court. Teodora Krumova – co-chairman from the Amalipe Center took place in the youth flash mob and told us more about the idea of the campaign: “Life is like a mirror – if you smile, you will get a smile back. We all have to forget our contradictions. The fact that we are different makes us more beautiful, just like the flowers the youngsters gave out“. The citizens had a warm reception for the youth initiative and shared that more campaign like this should be made.
Plovdiv: Just a few days after what happened in front of “Jumaya” mosque in Plovdiv, a lot of smiled and judicious young people from the club “Youth is tolerance” – Plovdiv, made a flash mob for tolerance. The campaign began on 20th of February (9:00am) under the motto “Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you will get a smile back”. The volunteers from the club summoned the citizens for more tolerance and friendliness. The youths were waving to the passers with big smiles on their faces and a mirror to which everyone could smile of he wants. To all the people who passed were provided bouquets of snowdrops as mark of tolerance and materials presenting the basic massage of the campaign. In this way the youngsters opposed to the hate speech and the propagation of interethnic pressure. The bigger part of all the passers were positively turned and kept their smiles long time after passing us.
Burgas: With flash mob named “Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you will get a smile back” Bulgarian, Roman and Turkish youths summon the citizens from Burgas for more smiles, friendliness and tolerance. The young people from voluntary club “Youth is tolerance” – Burgas gave out a lot of flyers and flowers at 6:00pm on 20th of February. The volunteers began on “Troikata” square, after that they went through the center, then “Alexandrovska” st. and finished in front of the municipality. All the way they gave to the citizens smiles, flowers and informational materials presenting the basics of the campaign. The initiative was accepted positively and made a lot of people smile and to learn interesting facts for the different ethnics living in Bulgaria.
Vratsa: Students from schools and universities from the club “Youth is tolerance” – Vratsa – made their appearance with flash mob too. On 20th of February(12:00pm) smiled young people gave out flowers, smiles and positive thoughts to the passers. “In days filled with escalated pressure and hate speech everywhere one campaign realized with a lot of smiles was made in Vratsa. “ – told the youth coordinator of the voluntary club. The citizens accepted the initiative with opened hearts and were positively surprised. After the end of the campaign everyone said goodbye with a smile more, with more tolerance and humanity.
Blagoevgrad: With high spirits passed and the youth flash mob of volunteers from the club " Youth is tolerance" - Blagoevgrad . Students from the club appealed to more tolerance and understanding. The campaign started with the distribution of colorful handmade flowers, containing useful and interesting information about various ethnic groups in the country. The young people began distributing flyers and smiles at 9.00 pm on 20.02.2014 g of Youth House Square " George Izmirliev ." They rejoiced citizens bouquet of paper flowers , a symbol of tolerance and received smiles and congratulations for the great campaign , "Well done , young man. In you we hope. "
Shumen: Youth club for tolerance in Shumen to Center "Amalipe" distributed smiles and information materials as a sign of tolerance and understanding. Youth participated in youth flash mob, part of the "Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you will get a smile back." Passersby were handed flowers tolerance made of paper and printed materials presenting the key messages of the campaign. Thus young people oppose hate speech and inciting interethnic tensions that escalated after what happened on February 14 in Plovdiv.
The Centers for Community Development under Center “Amalipe” also took part in the campaign with activities in their home towns and villages.
On February 20, at 8.30 the centers for community development in six municipalities in the country: Kameno, Byala Slatina, Etropole, Peshtera, Pavlikeni and Novi Pazar took part in the campaign: "Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you'll get a smile back". In one and the same hour at different places, local activists handed mirror and a red heart to the locals with a message of tolerance. "Doing good and smile at people around us to make the world more beautiful" - with these words the volunteers handed red hearts in the early morning and receive smiles in turn.
CDC – Knezha – People responded with a smile to moderators and volunteers in CDC-Knezha, who delivered the message "Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you will get a smile back". Optimism and positive energy floated in the air, mixed with the scent of spring snowdrops. It doesn’t matter how different we are if we make good deeds, let us protect ourselves from negative thoughts and prejudices.
CDC - Dolna Banya - Moderators, volunteers and Mrs. Stoyna Rakova - a teacher at the school "Neophite Rilski", made many to smile today, despite the problems and difficulties of the life we live. Together we managed to show that tolerance is a virtue that everyone must experience and explore!
CDC – Pavlikeni also took part of the campaign "Life is like a mirror: if you smile, you will get a smile back". Moderators, together with the volunteers at the Center, gave colorful paper flowers with the campaign slogan and smile as a sign of tolerance.
CDC – Strazhitsa gave many smiles and positive mood to the locals. "If you smile, you will get a smile back" - community moderators and volunteers at the Center handed a flower and gave smiles to passersby.
“Youth is Tolerance” clubs are formed by Center “Amalipe” in the cities of Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen, Burgas, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad and Vratsa. The activities combine volunteers from different ethnic background (Bulgarian, Roma, Turkish and others), students from schools and universities, united by the goal of combating anti-Roma stereotypes and shaping tolerance to all the ethnicities in Bulgaria. These volunteer’s groups are established under the project “Youth is Tolerance” funded by the European commission. Other countries working on this project are Romania, Hungary and Greece.
