Youth Camp in LAG “Aytos”: Five Days Dedicated to Nature, Traditions, and a Sustainable Future
From July 18 to 22, an inspiring youth camp was held in the territory of LAG “Aytos,” bringing together over 140 participants from Bulgaria and Romania at the ethnographic complex Genger and the picturesque park of Aytos. The event united young people, ideas, cultures, and efforts in the name of a greener, more sustainable, and more conscious future.
The camp offered a rich program of educational, training, and cultural activities. Joint cycling tours became one of the most anticipated experiences, with routes including iconic places such as Lake “Parka,” the natural phenomenon “The Three Brothers,” the “Kozela” area, and the Aytos Zoo. Each ride was not just a trip, but an opportunity to rediscover the local natural and cultural treasures.
The educational part of the camp included interactive trainings and discussions on pressing and significant topics such as “How to Fight Climate Change” and “Sustainable and Nature-Friendly Development of the Territories.” An eco quiz sparked youthful enthusiasm, while the culinary workshop added a delicious touch to the overall experience. Participants prepared traditional banitsi and breads themselves, while tastings of local ecological foods introduced them to the value of culinary heritage as a factor for sustainable development.
In the spirit of Bulgarian traditions and craftsmanship, demonstrations were organized by local masters of pottery, weaving, basketry, woodcarving, coppersmithing, tailoring, and stained glass. The youth also visited a house-museum, and in art workshops they created gifts and painted memories that will last forever.
The sports spirit was also alive – football and basketball tournaments, table tennis competitions, rope jumping, badminton, and many more activities kept the good mood and outdoor energy high. Afternoons were filled with board games such as Uno, Old Maid, domino, chess, and puzzles, which brought participants together around the table and created more reasons for laughter, conversations, and cooperation. Evenings ended with summer cinema under the stars – one of the screenings was dedicated to the inspiring story of record-holding swimmer Tsanko Tsankov.
The culmination was the final evening with a performance by the local folklore dance group Trakiyche and a massive Bulgarian horo, in which all participants joined – regardless of language, culture, or nationality. It was a true celebration of friendship, continuity, and the spirit of cooperation.
The camp was part of the project “Youth Camps on the Territory of LAG ‘Aytos’”, implemented in partnership with Romanian LAGs: Napoca Poralisum LAG, Leader Bistrita-Nasaud LAG, and Lunca Joasa de Siretului LAG. The project is carried out under procedure BG06RDNP001-19.607 for inter-territorial and transnational cooperation under sub-measure 19.3 of Measure 19 “Community-Led Local Development” of the RDP 2014–2020.
The event not only left beautiful memories, but also inspired young people to become agents of change, guardians of traditions, and active participants in building a cleaner and fairer planet.
This publication was produced with the financial assistance of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development in connection with Administrative Agreement No. BG06RDNP001-19.607-0009-C01/РД 50-183 of 14.09.2023 for the provision of grant aid under procedure No. BG06RDNP001-19.607 for the selection of project proposals for intra-territorial and transnational cooperation under sub-measure 19.3 "Preparation and implementation of cooperation activities of local initiative groups" of measure 19 "Community-led local development" of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.