“Mindya Post Reunion” is a solidarity project implemented by BRCK Association – “Dream for Romance, Flowers and Cosmos” with the support of the European Solidarity Corps. The project took place in the village of Mindya and the Veliko Tarnovo region and was focused on the local community, young people, cultural life, ecology, and the creation of accessible media formats for sharing local stories.
At the heart of the project was the idea of continuing the work already started in Mindya — with the local people, the community cultural centre, volunteers, and young participants who, over the past few years, have gradually built a connection with the place. Instead of creating a one-time initiative, we chose to work on things that could remain useful even after the end of the project: a local newspaper, a community website, events, interviews, photos, meetings, and a real presence in the life of the village.
One of the main results is the development of “Mindya Post” — a printed publication that reflects events, people, traditions, challenges, and small stories from Mindya and the surrounding area. The newspaper gave different voices from the community the opportunity to be heard: local residents, young people, newcomers to the village, volunteers, community cultural centre members, and participants in events. It became a practical way to preserve the memory of what is happening and to create a stronger connection between generations.
In parallel, the Mindya Community website was also created — an online space for information, news, events, nature, culture, and community life in Mindya. The website complements the newspaper and allows part of the content to reach people outside the village, including friends, partners, volunteers, and former participants in our activities.
Within the project, various activities were implemented: preparing and publishing issues of “Mindya Post”, conducting interviews, taking photos, covering local events, working on the website, ecological initiatives, tree planting, summer cinema, cultural meetings, and joint activities with the “Razvitie 1893” Community Cultural Centre in the village of Mindya. Some of the activities were also aimed at presenting the opportunities offered by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps to young people from small settlements.
The project gave the participants the opportunity to develop specific skills — writing, editing, photography, working with digital tools, design, event planning, and communication with the local community. Equally important was the experience gained in teamwork, taking responsibility, and understanding how a local initiative develops step by step.
For BRCK, “Mindya Post Reunion” is an important part of our longer-term work in small settlements. The project showed that when there is trust, consistency, and meaningful content, the local community can be an active partner, not just an audience for separate events.
After the end of the project, what remains is not only the materials produced, the website, and the newspaper issues, but also the relationships created, the experience gained, and the opportunity for these activities to continue in new forms. Mindya Post and Mindya Community remain open spaces for stories, meetings, ideas, and future initiatives connected to life in the village and the region.
