• To deepen your knowledge of democratic education and self-directed learning in a naturally close setting with people who practice it;
• To gather useful and practical information on the topics that the key speakers and other visitors will talk about;
• To have meaningful and practical conversations with people who, like you, are passionate about education and parenting and have years of experience in the field at home or internationally.

The event is suitable for you if:

• you don’t know anything about democratic education and you want to learn more;
• education and human development ( particularly of children) is your passion;
• you practice some kind of education that involves self-directed learning and student decision-making about their daily lives, or you want to incorporate these components into your educational space;
• you are a teacher looking to engage your students more and establish more meaningful relationships with them;
• you are a parent interested in free education, including homeschooling;
• you are a school (and not just) psychologist;
• you are a student of pedagogy or non-formal/informal education.

Traditionally, the EUDEC conferences include an official program prepared by the organisers and a so-called Open Forum.

The official program can be found in the Program section and includes lectures by the announced Key Speakers.

The Open Forum provides each visitor with the opportunity to give a lecture, workshop, demonstration, some kind of performance, film/video screening, ask a question for discussion, and similar formats that he/she thinks will be interesting for other visitors. We provide a Program board with scheduled times so you can choose when to present your activity and sign in on the spot.

You can write your suggestion on the Open Forum board provided at the Conference venue and under the following conditions:

• You may offer as many sessions (whether lectures, discussions, workshops, demonstrations, etc.) as you wish – whether over one or several days;
• you are expected to be present at the chosen place and time and to conduct the announced session ;
• in the announcement you fill in, you need to indicate: the session language, topic, format; 
• at the beginning of the session, we recommend that you give a quick overview of what the session is going to be about so that visitors can make sure they are in the right place for them – it would be beneficial for both you and them if everyone is fully present and genuinely interested in the topic;
• as your listed session is not announced in the official program, you will be able to attract more people if you talk to them directly and invite them – just before the start of your session and during informal exchanges.

The first of August, starting at 12 pm Bulgarian time (EEST, UTC+3) is dedicated to arriving, accommodating, getting to know each other, and putting your interesting topics and suggestions on the agenda for the upcoming days! We will finish the day with an opening party.

The official program will start on 02.08 and will continue until 06.08 incl. In the evening of 06.08, we will have our closing “Talent Night”. On 07.08 we need to vacate the premises by 12 pm.

Accommodation at the conference location outside of the specified dates is not available. Other than that, we highly recommend coming early or leaving later, as this will be a great opportunity to explore Sofia and/or Bulgaria, and not miss a minute of the event!

Bulgaria is in Europe. It is located on the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Greece and Turkey to the south, Romania to the north. To the east it reaches the Black Sea, and to the West it is a neighbour to Serbia and North Macedonia.

Nearly 1400 years ago (in 681) we carefully founded and positioned Bulgaria to provide you with all kinds of transportation and adventure opportunities 🙂

You can use land, air or sea.

Air Transport – Bulgaria has four major airports in four major cities – Sofia (the capital), Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas. Most flights to and from other countries operate the largest airport in Sofia. It is also most convenient for all participants since the location of the Conference is in Sofia.

You can get here by car, train, bus or bike, enjoying our neighboring countries as well.

Trains stop at the Sofia Central Railway Station, and right next to it is the Central Bus Station, where international buses stop. From there to the location of the Conference is 27 km.

You can also get here by water – with a ship arriving at the Black Sea shore. If you choose this option, you will have another trip – by train, bus or car to Sofia, where the Conference is located.

The conference will be held at the base of the National Training Centre of the Bulgarian Red Cross, located 10 km from the capital Sofia, in a beech forest at the foot of the Lozen Mountain. The exact address is Lozen village, 31 Str. Poluvrak.

From Sofia Airport (one only) to the location of the Conference, the distance is about 15 km and can be reached in several ways:

1. By public transport – take buses E84 or E184 and transfer to number 5 at the bus stop “State Printing House” (approximate travel time about an hour), price – 3.20 BGN/ 1.60 EUR

!!! There are only 3 routes of bus 5 during the day that stop directly by the Bulgarian Red Cross Center. Check their current timetable from THIS LINK.
The last stop of the remaining routes of bus number 5 is about 1 km from the Conference venue. Check their timetable HERE !!!

We recommend that you plan your transportation so that you can take the bus right to the Center, especially if you have more luggage or you are with small children!

2. By rental car or taxi – travel time – 10-15 min, cost – at least 20 BGN/ 7-8 EUR

3. On foot – price: free, travel time – at your own speed 🙂

From Central Railway Station/Central Bus Station to the Conference location, the distance is about 27 km and can be reached in several ways:

1. By public transport
1.1. by buses 213 or 305 and transfer to bus number 5 at the stop “University Hospital St. St. Anna Hospital” (approx. travel time about 90 minutes), price – 3.20 BGN/ 1.60 EUR

!!! There are only 3 routes of bus number 5 during the day that stop directly by the Bulgarian Red Cross Center. Check their current timetable from THIS LINK.
The last stop of the remaining routes of bus number 5 is about 1 km from the Conference venue. Check their timetable HERE !!!

We recommend that you plan your transportation so that you can take the bus right to the Center, especially if you have more luggage or you are with small children!

1.2. by metro (change lines at the “Serdika” stop) to the “Inter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko Shosse” stop and transfer to bus number 5 (approximate travel time about 75 minutes), price – 3,20 BGN/ 1.60 EUR

2. By rental car or taxi – travel time – 40-60 minutes, price minimum 30 BGN/ 15 EUR

3. On foot – price: free, travel time – at your own speed 🙂

The Bulgarian Red Cross National Training Centre is used for educational and training sessions, conferences, and annual gatherings. It consists of several buildings for accommodation, a building with halls for training and presentations, huge outdoor spaces, playgrounds, meadows, and even the only apparatus on the Balkan Peninsula for simulating a high-magnitude earthquake.

For more details and photos look at the menu Location.

1. Choose the appropriate ticket from the “Registration” menu and fill out the form as an individual visitor or a group. Pay special attention to filling in your email address correctly!
2. Wait for an email from us sending you payment details;
3. Make payment and expect to receive a confirmation from us;
4. Read carefully the other details we will send with the payment confirmation;
5. Arrange your trip to Sofia (if you are not from the city);
6. Reserve your accommodation in case you don’t take advantage of the options we offer;
7. Read the instructions in the FAQ section on how to get to the Conference venue;
8. Prepare your luggage and get in the mood for the pleasant and useful meetings ahead!

Please look at the General terms for details.

The Bulgarian Red Cross National Training Centre has double and triple rooms which can be booked upon registration. A camping area is also provided where you can pitch your own tent or ask us about renting a tent.
We can also recommend hotels within a few miles of the venue.

Of course, if you live nearby, you can skip the accommodation and come just for the Conference program. In this case, the daily tickets will be suitable for you.

In case you have purchased a full pass for the Conference, it includes 3 times daily meals prepared on-site.

There will also be an option for individual food and beverage orders. In addition, you can bring your preferred food and drinks.

Your children are welcome. Up to the age of 5, their entry is free – in case they do not use an extra bed and meals.

Rates for older children can be found in Registration.

Please note the following:

• parents are responsible for the safety and provision of their children’s needs;
• at the conference itself there will be activities offered for children aged 5-8;
• no children’s daycare is provided;
• lecturers and volunteers of the Conference have no obligation to look after children if their parents are not present;
• parents are responsible for the safety and provision of their children’s needs.

It is up to you to decide in what way your children’s presence would influence your own experience. 

Be active if you want to avoid missing important lectures or workshops – each visitor has a personal responsibility to check and decide what is most interesting or useful to them.

Feel free to leave a session that you are not interested in – trying not to disturb other participants by doing so. This is the familiar 2 feet rule – “if you don’t find it interesting here and are not learning anything useful, use your two feet to look elsewhere”.

Ask your questions when you have them.

Make sure to meet your needs for food, water, entertainment, socializing, concentration, rest, etc. in a way that does not interfere with other participants attending to their needs.

According to accumulated measurements, temperatures in Lozen in August range between 14°C and 26°C. Nighttime lows of up to 9°C are possible, as well as daytime highs of up to 32°C. The majority of days in Lozen are sunny, with rain falling on 9 days of the month on average. In Sofia, the temperatures are higher compared to Lozen.

However, we recommend checking the current forecast just before you come and please keep in mind that the location is in the forest at the foot of a mountain.

All lectures of the Official program will be held in English and Bulgarian – translation will be provided in both directions for people who need it. Events added by participants to the Open Forum will be in the language chosen by the presenters, which should be announced at the event itself.

We invite you to be brave and, even if you feel that your level of English is not good enough, to actively participate in everything that interests and excites you.

Keep in mind that English is not the native language for almost none of the participants, so you will encounter a variety of pronunciations and expressions. What’s important is that others understand what you are saying, even if you would prefer to articulate it better.

You can check the official program HERE.

On-site, we recommend checking the Open Forum board regularly.

In most cases, no advance notice is required unless specifically stated.

Yes, you can bring your own food, especially if you chose the daily pass which does not include meals.

The first step is to go through Registration to get your bracelet depending on the chosen pass. You can arrive and leave at any time according to what you choose to visit and as long as it does not interfere with other participants.
If your pass includes accommodation, you will receive instructions from the people at Registration on how to proceed. In case your pass includes meals, you will receive instructions on how/where to get them.