Emiliya Velikova, University of Ruse and DANET e.V.
Abstract: Abstract: As a sign of respect and appreciation from the academic community, the Rector’s Office of the University of Rousse awarded Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer with the Ruse University “Angel Kanchev” Plaque for her contribution to the establishment and the promotion of the university in the international educational and cultural space. The certificate was issued on 12.10.2017 by Prof. Dr. Velizara Pencheva, Rector of Ruse University.
More than 3500 Bulgarians from the Ruse Region participated in 18 projects and initiatives with coordinator Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer and a coordinator from Ruse University.
More than 190 representatives of the District Government and the City Hall, the education inspectorate of the Ministry of Education and Science, the municipality of Slivo Pole, the National Council of the Union of Pensioners in Bulgaria, school principals, teachers, students, pensioners supporters of Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer attended the award ceremony.
Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer, President of ILEU e.V. at the University of Ulm, Germany and President of the International Accusation for Europe e.V. is the coordinator of many international projects and conferences, in which since 2010 until now the Ruse University “Angel Kanchev” has been actively involved as a coordinator for Bulgaria through the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Education and the Center for the Education of the Elderly.
In the implementation of Mrs. C. Stadelhofer’s projects the most active so far were multuniversity teachers, educators, multipliers from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Education, the Faculty of Business and Management, the Center of Education of the Third Age, students from the bachelor degree courses “Social Pedagogues, Primary School Education with a Foreign Language”, “Pre-school and Primary School Education”, “Mathematics and Informatics Education”, “Master of Science in Mathematics and Informatics Education” PhD degree courses “Mathematics Education”, “Pedagogy”.
The members of the Union of Pensioners – Ruse and Ruse Region, with over 7000 members, its structures in the Slivo Pole Region (19 clubs and chitalista), the Tsenoco Region and the Ivanovo Region, were also very active.
Various educational and research projects were also attended by organizations such as the Bulgarian Red Cross, the Red Cross Young People, students from the High School in Tourism, the Friedrich Shiller German Language School, the High Mathematical School, the Primary School “A. Kanchev” and Primary school” OtecPaisiy “, Ruse, Primary school “P.R. Slaveykov “, village Obretenik, Secondary school “H. Botev”, village Paisievo, Cultural House “Nikola J. Vaptsarov”, village Babovo, Seniors’ Club “Detelina”, village Babovo, chtalista of the town of Slivo Pole, the villages Brashlen, Ryahovo, Krasen, Trastenik, Tsenovo, Chereshovo and more than 80 clubs of the Union of Pensioners – Ruse Region, Centers for family-type accommodation for people with mental disorders / dementias “Sveta Petka”, “Rayna Gateva”, Protected House “Friendly Support”, Elias Canetti Association, Soroptimist International Club Ruse, Environmental Center for Sustainable Development, Varna, Silistra Regional Library, and NGOs from Ruse, Sofia, Silistra, Popovo, Burgas, VelikoTarnovo, Union of Pensioners – Giurgiu, Romania, etc.,
Some of the main international projects and initiatives with coordinator Mrs. C. Stadelhofer, which were run by the University of Ruse and where the participants were from the Ruse Region, are:
- Danet: Danube Networkers – Neighbours at Work, програма Europe for Citizens, 6 countries, over 500 participants;
- DASUN: Danube Seniors’ Universities (Danube Concept for an Academic Program for Continuing Education of Seniors in the Danube Region as a Bridge between Science and Citizens), program of Baden-Wurttemberg, over 250 participants;
- Danube Stories (DASTO), over 500 participants, awarded with an European Star for quality results;
- The Wanted Danube, the Donabüro Ulm/Neu-Ulm, over 500 participants from Ruse Region; from the Slivo Pole Region – 180. The project was awarded with two international prizes:
- „European Citizen’s Prize 2015” of the European Parlament
- „Europa-Lilie (Lily of Europe) 2015”, category “Best Citizen’s Commitment” of the European Federation of Germany. There were over 7000 participants from 11 countries as Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, France, Hungary, etc.
Mrs. C. Stadelhofer won two Baden-Wüntenberg programs as a Chair of the European Association DANET:
- Open Doors for Danube Countries for All (ODDA), чwith main aim to develop training materials, developing communication skills and learning history, culture and traditions of the Danube countries. The Second meeting of ODDA held at the University of Ruse, 11-14 October, 2017. The results achieved so far have been presented and 3 seminars have been held, as well as the implementation in real conditions in Roussea of the knowledge and skills of the participants. The meeting was attended by DANET members from Germany, Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria (Ruse and Ruse Region), partner of the project, Elias Canetti Association, university teachers and students, school students (Friedrich Schiller German Language School), pensioners and adherents of activities of the international association DANET.
- Tastes of Danube: Bread Connects with two initiatives:
- Bread Week, 6-11 October, 2017;
- Give Sign of Friendship Along the Danube!
The new project with coordinator Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer is Building Bridges for Europe (BBE), Erasmus+, KA2 with 8 partners from Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy. The First project meeting held at the University of Ruse, 19-22 November, 2017.
More than 3500 Bulgarians from Ruse Region participated in 18 projects and initiatives with coordinator Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer and coordinator from the University of Ruse – Assoc. Prof. Emiliya Velikova, PhD. Many meetings, lectures, seminars, conferences, research, publications, and much more were organized on the projects.
As a sign of respect and appreciation from the academic community, the Rector’s Office of the University of Ruse awarded Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer with the University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev” Plaque for her contribution in promoting the University in the international educational and cultural space. The certificate was issued on 12.10.2017 by Prof. Dr. Velizara Pencheva, Rector of the University of Ruse.
On October 12, 2017, after the opening of the Second ODDA Project Meeting, the awards ceremony took place with Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer with the biggest prize – “Angel Kanchev” University of Ruse’ s Plaque for Outstanding Contribution.
Guests of the award ceremony were Mr. Valentin Kolev, Vice Governor of Ruse Region, Mrs. Katya Petrova, Vice Mayor of the town of Ruse Mr. Galin Grigorov, Cor Mem Prof. DSc. Hristo Beloev, DHC Mult., President of the Ruse Region Council, Mrs. Rositsa Georgieva, President of the Inspectorate of Education, Ministry of Education and Sciences, Mr. Valentin Atanasov, Mayor of the Slivo Pole Region, Mrs. Valentina Nikolova, President of the National Council of the Union of Pensioners of Bulgaria, Mr. Yodan Kazakov, President of the Union of Pensioners – Ruse Region, Prof. Juliana Popova, PhD, Prof. Diana Antonova, PhD, Prof. Plamen Daskalov, PhD. – Vice Rectors of the University of Ruse, Assoc. Prof. Desislava Atanasova, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Education, Directors of 11 Chitalista, representatives of the ODDA project partners, university students, Mrs. Reneta Valeva, Head of the High School in Tourism, Mrs. Iska Ivanova, Head and Mrs. N. Pramatarova, teacher of the Friedrich Shiller German Language School (FSGLS), school students from these schools, the singer group of the Chitaliste – village Chervena Voda, singer club of FSGLS, representatives of many social organizations and institutions, etc.
More than 190 official guests, lecturers, pensioners, students and supporters of the rich international activity of Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer attended the event.
Prof. Pencheva congratulated Mrs. Stadelhofer on her achievements in the promotion of elderly education, which started for the first time in Bulgaria through her tireless and dedicated work on the development and implementation of joint projects with the University of Ruse and thanked her for the confirmation and elevation the prestige of the University of International Educational and Cultural Space.
Mrs. Stadelhofer thanked for her honor and presented the European Strategy for the Danube Region and the European programs for the inclusion of older people 55+ to help state and civic institutions.
Prof. Pencheva also awarded the Crystal Prize of the University of Ruse to Mr. Valentin Atanasov, the Mayor of Slivo Pole Region, for his contribution to the organization of numerous activities for the implementation of the international project with coordinator Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer and the University of Ruse. The projects covered over 1400 people from different ages from the municipality and the elevation of the authority of the University of Ruse in the Ruse Region and the Danube Region.
Greetings and flowers were presented by all officials, representatives of the district and mayoral leadership, the education inspectorate of the Ministry of Education and Science, the municipality of Slivo Pole, the National Council of the Union of Pensioners in Bulgaria, school principals and others.
Velimir Petrov, representative of the university course Social Pedagogy, pensioners from the Day Care Center for Old People, delegation from the town of Silistra with the leader Mrs. Neli Stoilova, delegations of the Union of Pensioners – Ruse, and many other institutions and organizations presented Mrs. Stadelhofer with loaves of bread as symbols of mutual respect and friendship. They sent their “Sign of Friendship Along the Danube”.
Students at the High School of Tourism organized an exhibition of bread related to various European festivals and leaflets with recipes.
Students from the Friedrich Schiller German Language School performed modern pop songs and delivered greetings in German and in Bulgarian.
The women’s choir for folk songs “Rosna Kitka” by retired people from the village of Chervena Voda with the manager M. Markov presented three-traditional folk songs about bread.
Finally, the bread and bread products were shared among all participants to enjoy with a glass of Bulgarian red wine.
We wish Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer and her team health, joy and happiness!