This chapter provides description of youth participation in global issues both at national and international level. It contains information about youth policies dealing with global issues, such as human rights, climate change, protection of environment, entrepreneurship, employment, global education, etc.

One of the strategic priorities of the National Youth Strategy 2021-2030 (Национална стратегия за младежта 2021-2030) - adopted by the Council of Ministers and to be approved by the National Assembly - is to promote engagement, participation and empowerment of young people.

The Youth Act (Закон за младежта) (effective from 2012, last amendment of 02.08.2022) formalises the existence of the Public Council on Youth Issues whose members are representatives of youth organisations, students’ councils and organisations working with and for young people. Thus, the voice of young people on topics that concern them can be heard in the form of structured dialogue with policy-makers.  

As a step for the implementation of the European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027, the Ministry of Youth and Sports established and administers National Working Group on EU Youth Dialogue chaired by the National Youth Forum. The members of the National Working Group comprise representatives of governmental institutions, youth organisations and NGOs. One of the tasks of this working group is to improve the dialogue between young people and institutions.

The Bulgarian UN youth delegates program is also a mechanism for engaging with the young people around the world. One of the main missions of the UN youth delegates is to be the bridge between young people in Bulgaria and the institutions both at national and international level.

The Mid-Term Program for Support for Development and Humanitarian Aid of the Republic of Bulgarian 2020-2024 (Средносрочна програма за помощ за развитие и хуманитарна помощ на Република България 2020-2024) puts focus on the specific needs of young people through increase of employment quality and opportunities for entrepreneurship supported by effective policies in the field of education, vocational education, skill development and access to digital technologies and services. Furthermore, it refers to the Council of Europe’s definition of global education, which gives young people the knowledge, skills and values that will help them to make the future of world more just and shared.