Talks at The Garden

Since the beginning of the year we started a new project: a series of public Google Hangouts, called TALKS AT THE GARDEN. We present ordinary people, engaged with socially significant activities in various domains: social activisism, creativity, self-organized initiatives, and so on.

Here are the first three "Talks at The Garden":

#1 - There Will Be Once Upon a Time: What is the Future of Storytelling? 

Conversation with the authors & publishers +Zornitsa Hristova and +Nikola Raykov. Zornitsa created a great game for development of children's storytelling skills. Nikola created an intriguing game-book for kids. 

#2 - Lost in the Narrative, Found in Internet 

Conversation with +Ivailo Tarpanov (administrator of TVseriesBG.com - a site which initiate a competition for a short story), +Dimitar Chakarov (writer, whose short story Bar Desire won the competition), and +Kiril Totev (a film director, whose studio will make a movie, based on Bar Desire). The amazing thing is that their budget is 300 (three hundred!) Euro.

#3 - Making good! 

Conversation with +Alexander Makedonski from Moga, a small NGO from a small town. With a few money and a lot of volunteer work, the achievements of the guys from Moga became nationally popular via the buildboards of Coca-Cola. 

We plan a lot of new public hangouts in Bulgarian. We hope that our hangouts will contribute for the development of a more creative and socially sustainable public environment in the Bulgarian society. 

For the fifth consecutive year: "Introduction to Psychology"

During the course we'll try to find out
what's on the man's mind :)

For the fifth consecutive year the Open School Psychology at The Garden Association organizes the course "Introduction to Psychology". 

For whom the course is? 

The course is designed for students from 10th to 12th grades. 

These, who want to study psychology, will learn what is psychology as a science, and what they may work after graduate from university. 

Those, who want to study other disciplines, but still are interested in psychology, will learn how to use psychology in their fields of activities. 

What will you get? 

At the end of the course, you will have a wider general knowledge, better skills to understand the world, you will know more about yourself, you will gain a valuable social experience. 

You will learn what are the methods of psychology and how to apply them, in what areas of life is used psychology, and how they can use psychological knowledge in everyday life. 

We'll have fun and learn at the same time - in the natural way that good things happen. 

How the course works? 

The course includes short lectures and many interactive forms to work. 

Weekly workload would be about 5 hours a week. Half of the time will be used for group classes , and the other half - for independent work at home. 

During the course each participant will receive two times an individual feedback from the trainer. 

Who are we? 

Open School of Psychology is an initiative of The Garden Association - Haskovo. 

We organize this course for the fifth consecutive year. 

Our office is in the town of Haskovo, 26-A "Rakovsky" Blvd., 4th floor. Check it out :

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Community psychology and BioCultural societies: points of intersection

Today I took part in the Google Hangout "Community psychology and BioCultural societies: points of intersection", organized by G+ communities BioCultual Landscapes and Seascapes and Environmental psychology. 

My interlocutors were Dr. Bernadette Montanari - ethnobiologist, Center of biocultural diversity at Kent university; Prof. Douglas Perkins - professor in Community psychology at Vanderbilt university, US; Nikolay Mihaylov - MA in Clinical psychology and PhD candidate in Community research and action at Vanderbilt university, US.

 The discussion explored the basics of Community psychology, and how Community psychology can support bio-cultural diversity and can help building of resilient communities in their natural settings?

Important issues were discussed, like community environment - community behavior, community behavior, place attachment, place identity, community research, community empowerment and action, community identity, traditional ecological knowledge and many more.

The Garden took part in a public discussion in Haskovo City Hall

Yesterday representatives of The Garden Association took part in a very important public discussion in Haskovo's City Hall.

There was a presentation of the project for Integrated Plan for Urban Reconstruction and Development in Haskovo, term 2014 - 2020. It is a subject with a crucial importance for the urban environment and we wanted to share our ideas with the team which worked on the plan. It was my honor to present our interdisciplinary team's views.

I shared our vision of Haskovo as a Smart city, which development unites administrative (aka soft) measures with infrastructure measures, dealing with economic development, green policy and environment, mobility and walkability, formal and non-formal education, arts, mass sports and physical activity, and so on.

Among our ideas are:

• bike lanes from the most Eastern to the most Western point of the city; 
• green roofs on the big public buildings; 
• creation of small forests in each school yard, instead of the concrete and the asphalt, which dominate now; 
• artificial climbing wall; 
• more nature-oriented playgrounds and more thematic playgrounds; 
• more public fountains with water for drinking in the city center; 
• free public toilets in the city center; 
• small public monuments, reminding of significant places, events, or persons from the city; 
• art-incubator: an institution encouraging the local artists and craftsmen; simultaneously creation of an annual art-festival; 
• creation of center for social entrepreneurship and social innovation; 
• creation of Museum of childhood - a place, collecting artifacts from different epochs and providing option for children games, shows, and thematic workshops for children; 
• establishment of an international university in Haskovo; 
• e-municipality; 
• free wireless internet access in the city center. 

We are glad that our suggestions met a positive feedback from Haskovo's vice-mayor Mrs Staneva and from the company which developed the project. They promised to add most of our ideas in the final version of the Plan. On our side, we proposed our expertise and consultation for free. 

The interdisciplinary team who created the above-cited ideas: 

Vladislav Dobrev, computer engineer, 

Deyan Yanev, philologist, education management expert,

+Georgi Stankov, psychologist, 

+Tanya Stoynova, lawyer, 

+Lydia Staikova, career & educational counselor, 

+Vladimir Grachki, linguist,
+Simon Zenopian, engineer,    

Veselin Harmandzhiev, engineer. 

Jane's Walk in Haskovo: "Ovcharcki - The Neighborhood of the Shepherds"

On the 4th of May, Saturday, we organized "Jane's Walk" for a first time in Bulgaria and on the Balkan peninsula, and in Eastern Europe. After we made the first Google hangout on social and political issues in Bulgaria, the team of The Garden Association became a pioneer in another important subject. 

Jane's Walk is an international initiative, run by a group of friends, supporters and followers of Jane Jacobs - the prominent urban development thinker, social activist and community organizer. It is a very simple idea - each year people from the city get together and walk across a certain neighborhood, led by a local volunteer, called walk leader. They discuss the story of the neighborhood, its identity, its open spaces' specifics and walkability, and eventually whether it is friendly for living and what could be done for the life of the local community to be improved.

Jane's Walk is very famous in Canada and the US and gradually becomes popular in Western Europe too. But in Eastern Europe, and in particular the Balkans, it is still an unknown event. There are initiatives like Free Sofia Tour, led by volunteers, but they provide mainly free guide services for the foreign tourists and their goal is the make foreigners more familiar with the landmarks of the Bulgarian capital's center.

How we went into this? 

I discovered Jane's Walk last year, while searching for more information about Jane Jacobs' activism. I thought that it is a great initiative and that The Garden Association should take part in this. We are admirers of Jane Jacobs. Our chairman +Lydia Staikova has read many Jacobs' works. Also, I have a professional interest in the fields of Environmental psychology and community development, which are related to some of the issues that concerned Jane Jacobs.

The Walk itself

I must say that the Walk is always held in the first weekend of May in honor of Jane's birthday. So we chose 4th of may, Saturday. But first of all, I registered myself as City organizer in the Jane's Walk website and then I registered my walk "Ovcharcki - The Neighborhood of the Shepherds" and made this Google map:

Then I made a Facebook event and I invited my fellow-citizens who would be interested in this walk.

The Green Corner - I took photo for the
FB event from Google Street View.

And The Day came. At the appointed time and at the appointed place the people started to gather, one by one. The Meeting Point is a significant place: in the past, about 70 years ago, it was the School of Nursing in Haskovo. It is at the crossroads of "Makedoniya" Str. and "Osvobozhdenie" Blvd. and here is the western border of my neighborhood "Ovcharski."

The first walkers come. 
At the background - the 
former School of Nursing.

For many years this building has not been a School of Nursing. It is the headquarter of municipal company for funerals. But I gave a better name for this location: The Green Corner. First, because the building is painted in green, and second, because at the street there is a the small garden with green bushes.

Our walk started on "Makedoniya" Str. - one of the two streets, alongside with "Dragoman" Str., which cross the entire neighborhood from West to East (or the opposite). Stop One was the Fire Station. Since the day when it was founded, the Fire station of Haskovo has been located at this place. Many years ago, the first firemen used wagons with horses and barrels of water to extinguish the fires. See the Fire station via Google Street View:

We discussed the fate of the horses in the time of the first firemen and then we continued the walk.

Walking and talking, after stopping - more talking :)

Stop Two. I call it The First Settlers, because here is the historical heart of the neighborhood. Here lived the founders of this neighborhood, and what gives me a special feeling is that many of their descendants still live here. The neighborhood was called "Ovcharski", because the first settlers were farmers and breeders, and especially because they had a lot of sheep (Bulgarian: "Овчарски"; English: "Shepherd's neighborhood"; Turkish: "Çoban mahalle").

Now we are at the historical heart of the neighborhood! I am very passionate while talking about The First Settlers, some of whom were my ancestors. They come here more than 160 years ago. By the way, do you see the lime tree - near this place there was a water fountain for the local people.

The church "Sv.Georgi"

Stop Three - the local Orthodox church "Sveti Georgi" (aka "St.George"). It was built by The First Settlers about 160 years ago, when the Bulgarian people was under the yoke of the Ottoman empire. The church was named after Saint George - the protector of the shepherds (and you remember that "Shepherd's" is the neighborhood's name). Through the years three men from my family were members of the church board.


Stop Four - the park. Now this place is a park, but it was intended to be something different. In the late 1940s the local people planned to build a new and more beautiful church for their neighborhood. But the communist regime, which came to power in this time, was atheistic and anti-Christian in its nature, so the plan failed... Well, at least now we have a park with playground for the kids. See the park via Google Street View:

Stop Five - the small (and nameless) square with the building of the local Community center. In the past the building did not exist and the small square was a bigger place where the local people celebrated their feasts and made their gatherings with traditional songs and folk dances. Around 1950-1955 this wonderful tradition disappeared. I would not venture to say whether this was because of communism, or because of modernity, or both. As a location, in this period this square was at the end of the neighborhood, but actually this was its center, its main social space. Actually today it still has this function, because here is situated the local community center, and there are two grocery stores and a small open market for fruits and vegetables. As for the Community center, today its social function is limited to give shelter of the local pensioners to play cards and board games. See it via Google Street View:

The local people call the school "Otec Paisiy"
(in English "Father Paisiy").

Stop Six - the school "Sv. Paisiy Hilendarski" (St. Paisiy of Hilendar) which was initially created as a church school at the church "Sv. Georgi" (see Stop Three). Later a separate building was built, more relevant to the educational needs of the local community. But even in a separate building, we must remember that the school (as an institution) is a direct continuer of the church school. Four generations from our family had studied in this school.

Here the walk finished. Saying Thank you! to the walkers.

After Jane's Walk we decided to have a Jane's Beer at the local pub.

NOTE: Totally 12 people and one dog joined my first Jane's Walk. They are: +Hristo Dimchev, Veselin Harmandzhiev, Plamen Moskov, Petronka Stankova, Petar Stankov, +Lydia Staikova, Mariyana Valcheva, +Simon Zenopian, Petya Skerleva, +Vladimir Grachki, +Yanko Zaprianov and +Kiril Hristov. 
The dog's name is Casper.

Today we launched our first Google Hangout: "Bulgaria in 2013 and beyond"

Today is a historical day! The Garden Association launched its first Google Hangout: Bulgaria in 2013 and beyond. 

We are pleased to inform you that this is the first hangout on social and political topics in Bulgaria, so our event had a really historical meaning. We want to use the new information technologies and social media for the benefits of the civil society, and Google Hangout is an excellent tool to achieve this purpose. 

We see Google Hangouts as a tool for the development of direct democracy by small communities and civic groups, which can share and discuss ideas with the rest of society. In times of a severe political, social and economic crisis in Bulgaria, we invited several prominent social activists and thinkers to share their opinions and ideas on the overarching theme "Bulgaria in 2013th and Beyond".

Our guests were:

+Denitsa Sacheva - PR expert, professor of Political communication at New Bulgarian University, nominated for the award "Human of the year 2012" in Bulgaria, known for hew humanitarian work with immigrants and refugees, who suddenly switched her social role and decided to go into political life.

+Bogomil Shopov - a prominent blogger and activists for internet rights and access to information, co-founder of the NGO "Electronic border", ex-candidate member of the European parliament, co-founder of the Bulgarian Pirate party.

+Polina Paunova - journalist from the highly respected website Mediapool.bg and co-founder of the non-formal alternative media group "Angry Young Men" who broadcast various social actions, which are usually not covered by the "traditional" mainstream media.

+Todor Tanev, PhD - professor of Political Science and Head of Public Administration department at Sofia University "Sv. Kliment Ohridski", expert of strategic planning, who took part in the creation of the National strategy of Armenia.

Our additional guest was Mr +Ivan Delchev, entrepreneur and internet marketing expert, co-founder and co-owner of a small company, where he is heading the Quality Assurance department.

The hangout's topics were: how did we get here, what happens with the civil society in Bulgaria, what are the similarities and differences in the protests of 2012 and early 2013, how citizens can influence the politicians, what needs to be changed in this country and how, what must be the very first priority for the new state's government, and so etc.

Because of our lack of experience, we made one weakness in the hangout: the side noise. I was in a hurry and I choose a place nearby the street. Also one participant's washing machine was working :) But still it was an experiment, there was a meaningful conversation with great participants, and, Gosh, we did it!

Short report from OSP: recent deeds

by: Georgi Stankov

1st row: Seli, Yanko, and Krisi; 2nd row: Kito, Stoyo, Georgi, and Petya.

 Here is a very short report about what is going on with our Open School of Psychology.

As you already know, we started our first academic year three weeks ago with eight students. Fortunately, the group cohesion is growing. I have noticed that after three weeks of getting to know each other, now the members are more open, devoted and creative. On Sunday we were very productive. As result we built the foundation of our study of small world phenomenon via online social networks. By the way, the regular themes of the day were SWOT-analysis and smart-goals. I encouraged students to use these new tools while discussing and planning our team's next steps.

Two of our students were missing because of their SAT 1 in Plovdiv, but next week we will be together and hopefully we will work even more efficiently.

Moments from the discussion: the gents were enthusiastic and action-oriented, and the ladies were more skeptic and analytically-thinking-oriented. :)

Small world phenomenon revisited

by: Georgi Stankov

Stanley Milgram (1933 - 1984)

We are happy to present the new initiative of Open School Psychology, the psychological division of The Garden Association: Milgram's small world revisited. 

"Small world revisited" is a project, inspired by Stanley Milgram's classical social networks' experiment, known as "Small world phenomenon" or "Six degrees of separation". 

Milgram found out that between two distinct (both in physical also social terms) persons there are average six degrees of separation, e.g. John could reach Tom in six steps (1st - acquaintance, 2nd - acquaintance's acquaintance, 3rd - acquaintance of acquaintance's acquaintance, and so on). Our team of students, led by Georgi Stankov, will revisit and retest Milgram's experiment, by adapting it to today's conditions.

In the 1960s there was not internet, so Milgram made his experiment through the offline networks. The social scientists of the time did not think that in few decades there will be a powerful alternative for establishing and maintaining relationships, as well for exploration of the social bonds between people. But today the majority of people use the Internet to communicate quickly and easily, relationships became more informal, and as result locations or distances stopped having importance.  Now, in 2012, we try to research the online social networks and how they link people. 

We recruit teenagers for a new group at our Open School of Psychology!

by: Georgi Stankov

The Open School of Psychology at The Garden Association starts in October with a new training group!

The group is suitable for young people (16-19 years old) who want to: 

• achieve better self-understanding via self-exploration and self-discovery 
• improve their competencies for social adjustment and public performance 
• increase their abilities for effective communication and assertiveness 
• overcome hard times in their lives 
• experience a new and exciting approach for teamwork 

In a calm and homelike atmosphere the group leader Georgi Stankov will  facilitate participants' personal growth by training their communicative and creative skills, by using psychodrama techniques, art-therapy techniques, team-building activities, role playing, and case studies.

Our goal is to support the strengths of the youths, rather than to focus on their deficits!

The group will begin work in October. Exact date to be announced. The amount of participants is up to 12. Participation is free of charge!

For more detailed information and registration, please contact Georgi Stankov: 

e-mail: dunyata [at] gmail.com
Phone: +359 886 824918 

Open School of Psychology - the new division of The Garden Association

The Governing Board of The Garden Association decided to establish "Open School of Psychology". 

What is the Open School of Psychology? 

It is an initiative for non-formal education, existing as division of The Garden Association. The school is not registered or accredited and does not exist under any law or regulations about education (and we intend that it will always be like this!). 

Conceptual framework of Open School of Psychology 

1. Purpose 

Open School of Psychology works in the tradition of Life-long learning concept.

As an institution for non-formal education its purpose is to develop psychological knowledge and skills at local, regional, national and international level. The school aims to present to its trainees the psychological processes and phenomena in people's daily life and to help them build competences in the filed of psychology through which they could improve their lives at any level.

2. Basic Principles 

• Learning by doing - the experiential learning, combining theoretical and practical approach for developing of knowledge and skills, lies at the center of School's philosophy and methodology. 
• Tolerance - respect for and openness to different cultures, traditions, and opinions. No violence! 
• Ethnic, Religious, and Gender equality - no discrimination! 
• Democracy - participation of the trainees in the decision making process regarding their education (for instance: choose topics for training, topics for discussion, and so on). 
• Community - sensitivity to the presence and needs of others, encouraging the spirit of togetherness as an alternative of selfishness.

3. Organization 

The Open School of Psychology works thanks to professionals who volunteer for the fulfillment of the School's basic principles. The main lecturer and trainer is Georgi Stankov. Additionally, guest lecturers and trainers will participate in the project too. 

4. Certification 

In order to response to the European trend for validation of the non-formal and in-formal education, The Garden Association will provide certificates to all students who successfully complete our courses. They will receive certificates signed by the lecturer/trainer/instructor. 

Our great logo is here!

With pride and joy we present the logo of The Garden Association!

Its creator is Lydia Staikova - the chairman of the Association, who is also a very talented artist.

The graphic processing was done by our friend Dessislava Delcheva.