Ms. Donka Panayotova, chair of NGO Organization Drom, visits Brussels to uncover ideas and projects on innovation and entrepreneurship

1-5 December 2023

NGO Organization Drom from Vidin (Bulgaria) has been working on innovation and entrepreneurship projects in the past five years. With the support of international donors, such as Emmaus (Finland), Helsinki Deaconess Institute (Finland), Open Society Foundation (Berlin) and European Commission funding, we have managed to work on variety of initiatives that carried interest to many young Roma for knowledge and experience.

Between 1-5 December, Donka Panayotova, chair of NGO Organization Drom, has been invited by the European Commission to visit Directorate General for Education and Culture, Directorate General for Research and Innovation and the European Innovation Council in Brussels to understand the project cycle of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives in view of the new ideas around engaging the Roma youth in future projects across the EU.

Ms. Panayotova encountered discussions around the five EU missions, which are defined as a portfolio of excellence-based and impact-driven R&I activities across disciplines and sectors, intended to: (i) achieve, within a set timeframe, a measurable goal that could not be achieved through individual actions; (ii) have an impact on society and policy-making through science and technology; and (iii) be relevant for a significant part of the European population and a wide range of European citizens.The European Commission officially launched the implementation of the five EU Missions in September 2021.

Ms. Panayotova learned also about the implementation of Horizon Europe projects from the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation that amounts to EUR 95.5 million with a special focus on involvement of stakeholders and partners from the EU Member States from Central and Eastern Europe, including Bulgaria. Finally, Ms. Panayotova learned about the functioning of the European Innovation Council accelerator and the role of funding breakthrough technologies.

There are many ideas to source from for the future of the European innovation and entrepreneurship agenda that will facilitate Roma youth engagement. NGO Organization Drom is hopeful that more NGOs will collaborate with academia and business in the future for innovative projects that involve young Roma.