On March 28 at 11:00 AM, Sofia Library and the Global Libraries-Bulgaria Foundation are organizing a press conference focusing on the role of libraries in the implementation of the digital transformation strategy of Bulgaria (2020-2030). Representatives of key ministries for the implementation of the strategy, as well as the Sofia Municipality, will participate in the event.
The event is part of the European campaign for digital inclusion All Digital Weeks 2025, which is taking place between March 17 and April 4 in Bulgaria and 21 other countries in Europe. The Global Libraries-Bulgaria Foundation is the coordinator of the events in Bulgaria for another year, promoting the active role of libraries as centers for digital transformation.
52 events, organized by regional, municipal and community center libraries in 21 settlements in the country, are planned in the form of presentations, seminars, demonstrations and workshops. They are aimed at children from preschool to high school age, as well as pensioners, as well as a wide range of users. The topics are related to cybersecurity and safe internet, disinformation and media literacy, STEM games and programming for children.
The motto of the campaign in 2025 is “Educated Digital Citizens” and is carried out in accordance with the objectives of the European Year of Education for Digital Citizenship 2025 – an initiative of the Council of Europe.
Why is the All Digital Weeks campaign important for Bulgaria?
In general, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of digital skills for personal and professional development. According to the Europass assessment, 90% of jobs require a basic level of digital skills, and 44% of Europeans still do not have them, which requires efforts to overcome the digital divide.
The challenges of digitalization in Bulgaria affect over two-thirds of the population in the country, which lacks basic digital skills. The share of people with digital skills above basic level in our country is also lower than the EU average, as is the share of ICT specialists in the workforce. Despite the recent greater efforts, the country remains significantly below the EU average of 45.7% with a result of 32.6% – according to the data provided in the latest 2022 report by the European Commission on the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI).
PROGRAM
Tour of the Digital Center and the Digital Laboratory of the Sofia Library with the participation of students from 8th grade. from the National School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (15 min.)
Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation (Video Welcome)
Spaska Tarandova, ID of the Bulgarian Libraries Foundation (Presentation, 10 min.) – Bulgarian Libraries as Centers for Information, Non-Formal Learning, Communication and Integration
Svetoslava Toncheva – Sofia Library
Statements by representatives of institutions on: Interaction with Libraries in Connection with the Strategy for Digital Transformation of Bulgaria (2020-2030) (each lasting up to 5-10 min.):
- Natalia Efremova – Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy
- Bogdan Patashev – Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Labor
- Kristiyan Panov – Deputy Executive Director of the Employment Agency and colleague from the General Directorate “Employment Services”
- Ivan Goychev – Deputy Mayor, Department of Digitalization, Innovation and Economic Development of Sofia Municipality
Objective – In implementation of the “National Development Program of Bulgaria”, to discuss how libraries can support the administration and citizens in the process of digital transformation not only with access to digitized written cultural heritage, but also for access to services, training and lifelong learning. Libraries can and should be used as the main channel for disseminating information and reaching different target groups.
