June 8, 2026

PARTESS-COM – National One-Day Training in Sofia

May 19, 2026
74118

Enhancing Capacities for Religious Leaders and Communities

On 15 May 2026, the Bridges Association hosted an interfaith capacity-building training at SOHO Space in Sofia. The event was part of the EU-funded project PARTESS-COM, where Bridges is a Bulgarian partner.

The training was conducted by experts from Enhancing Faith Institutions (EFI), a UK-based organization specializing in security for religious institutions. The program was led by Shaukat Warraich, EFI Director, and Kaashif Awan, Senior Consultant. Yoana Barakova from the Center for the Study of Democracy contributed the Balkan perspective.

The event gathered 19 participants from Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, and Bratislava, including representatives from the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, EPC “St. John”, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sofia-Plovdiv, Protestant churches, the Chief Mufti’s Office, public institutions, and civil society organizations. The diverse group underscored Bridges’ commitment to fostering unity among various faiths and institutions.

Content and Objectives

The training provided practical tools and European best practices for institutional work and cooperation, focusing on security risk prevention and response for religious communities. Participants learned about preventive security, extremism management, crisis communication, and vulnerability assessments. Emphasis was placed on community roles in security incident reporting and inter-institutional cooperation.

Strengthening collaboration between public institutions, religious communities, and civil society— especially in extremism prevention and protection of worship sites — was a key theme, promoting trust within diverse communities.

Context

This Sofia event is part of a series across 12 European cities, led by OIIP & SCENOR, reinforcing Bridges’ role in fostering a secure and connected religious ecosystem in Bulgaria and Europe.

More information is available on our website: BRIDGES

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram:

Bridges_facebook

Bridges_Instagram

Further project details can be found at:

https://www.partess-com.eu

Comments

14 responses to “PARTESS-COM – National One-Day Training in Sofia”

  1. hang 11 Avatar
    hang 11

    Training for religious leaders? Brilliant! Because nothing says “let’s unite faiths” like a one-day crash course in security risks—just what the world needed! 🙄💼

    Reply
  2. Cujo Avatar
    Cujo

    Oh, a one-day training for religious leaders in Sofia? Just what we needed, more experts telling us how to manage our “extremism” over a nice cup of coffee. ☕️ Brilliant! 😏

    Reply
  3. Dora the Destroyer Avatar
    Dora the Destroyer

    So, a training to teach religious folks how not to get into trouble? Sounds like a right laugh—who knew security was the new holy grail? 😂

    Reply
  4. BuzzBait Avatar
    BuzzBait

    Looks like we’re really getting our act together in Sofia, eh? Who knew a day of interfaith training could be so riveting—pass the popcorn, mate! 🍿

    Reply
  5. Freaky Ratbuster Avatar
    Freaky Ratbuster

    Training for religious leaders, huh? Who knew preventing extremism required a day in Sofia—sounds like a jolly good time! 😂 #JustAnotherDayInTheOffice

    Reply
  6. Tabasco Dracula Avatar
    Tabasco Dracula

    A day of enlightening discussions on religious security in Sofia? Well, that’s just what the doctor ordered—nothing says “fun” like crisis communication and vulnerability assessments! 😂

    Reply
  7. tweety bun bun Avatar
    tweety bun bun

    Oh, a one-day training for religious leaders on security risks? Just what Sofia needed—because nothing says “unity” like an expert from the UK giving us pointers on crisis communication. 🙄

    Reply
  8. spellbinder Avatar
    spellbinder

    Sounds like a delightful jaunt in Sofia, where religious leaders finally figured out that talking about security is more important than, you know, actually securing anything. 🤷‍♂️ I mean, who needs action when you can have a training day with a side of pastries? 🍰

    Reply
  9. axelroad Avatar
    axelroad

    Looks like the religious leaders finally got a crash course in ‘how not to get blown up’—who knew interfaith cooperation could come with a side of crisis management? 😅

    Reply
  10. lumberyard Avatar
    lumberyard

    Honestly, nothing says “I care about unity” quite like a group of 19 folks from various faiths getting together in Sofia for a training on security risks – because who knew the path to peace involved a bit of crisis communication? 😂 #JustEuropeanThings

    Reply
  11. dancing madman Avatar
    dancing madman

    Oh, nothing says “enhancing capacities” quite like a day in Sofia discussing security risks for religious leaders—because who wouldn’t want to add “crisis communication” to their CV? 😂

    Reply
  12. SWAT Honey Avatar
    SWAT Honey

    Just what we needed, a one-day crash course on security for religious leaders—because who doesn’t love being told how to handle crises in a few hours? 🙄 I can already hear the sound of church bells ringing with excitement! 🔔

    Reply
  13. subwoof330 Avatar
    subwoof330

    Well, who knew enhancing capacities for religious leaders would require more training than a barista making a flat white? 😏 Just what we need—more workshops while the coffee’s getting cold!

    Reply
  14. SunnySnap Avatar
    SunnySnap

    Oh, fantastic, another EU-funded training session to teach us how to manage crises—because clearly, we haven’t had enough practice with that lately. Can’t wait to see how many brollies we’ll need to keep the faith communities dry during the next storm! ☔️💼

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Challenges in Military Deployment: 5 Growing Concerns for U.S. Troops and Families by 2026

June 8, 2026
26962

Challenges in Military Deployment: 5 Growing Concerns for U.S. Troops and Families by 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 7 – Eurotoday Newspaper — military deployment update developments continue to affect thousands of U.S. service members and their families as military operations overseas remain active amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. Extended deployments, changing mission requirements, and heightened readiness levels have become part of daily life for many military households, creating n

Read More

Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Aid: Impact Felt from Somalia’s Food Lines to Afghanistan’s Clinics

June 8, 2026
45359

Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Aid: Impact Felt from Somalia’s Food Lines to Afghanistan’s Clinics

The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran has not eliminated sporadic hostilities and uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for global energy and shipping. This situation has impacted global supply chains, increasing transport and fuel costs, and straining aid operations facing severe funding shortfalls.
Tangible Impacts
Speaking at the UN Headquarters, World Food P

Read More

Kosovo PM’s Party Poised for Victory in Third Election in 18 Months

June 8, 2026
29744

Kosovo PM’s Party Poised for Victory in Third Election in 18 Months

The impact of votes from Kosovo’s diaspora on Kurti’s total remains uncertain; they previously contributed an additional 2 percent to Vetëvendosje’s total in December. The final vote totals will be confirmed in the coming weeks, once overseas votes are counted.
However, with the Serbian minority party refusing to cooperate and other opposition parties unlikely to reach a compromi

Read More

7 Smart IPO Investing Strategies Investors Use Before Buying New Stocks

June 8, 2026
71677

7 Smart IPO Investing Strategies Investors Use Before Buying New Stocks

NEW YORK, United States, June 7 – Eurotoday Newspaper — IPO investing strategies are receiving increased attention as investors look for ways to participate in highly anticipated public offerings while managing risk in an increasingly competitive market environment. From technology startups to established private companies considering public listings, interest in initial public offerings continue

Read More

AI Can Enhance, Not Replace, Human Relationships, Elder Gong Teaches in New Video

June 7, 2026
58459

AI Can Enhance, Not Replace, Human Relationships, Elder Gong Teaches in New Video

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ new video, Elder Gerrit W. Gong from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discusses the importance of distinguishing God’s voice in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The video, “Faith, Dignity and Human Flourishing: Hearing God’s Voice in an Age of Artificial Intelligence,” is available on YouTube.
Elder Gong poses the question, &

Read More

Exit polls indicate pro-EU ruling party leads Armenia parliamentary election

June 7, 2026
52274

Exit polls indicate pro-EU ruling party leads Armenia parliamentary election

Pashinyan emphasized, “Armenia’s future involves bolstering independence, statehood, democracy, and rule of law,” speaking to reporters post-voting Sunday morning. He affirmed commitment to democratic reforms with European Union support.
The Central Election Commission will release preliminary results on Monday.
Elections faced concerns about Russian interference. Authorities revealed over 40 arre

Read More

New Third-Country Deportation Agreement Ignites Global Debate: International Deportation Policy Bangui 2026

June 7, 2026
53707

New Third-Country Deportation Agreement Ignites Global Debate: International Deportation Policy Bangui 2026

BANGUI, Central African Republic, June 7 – Eurotoday Newspaper — international deportation policy has become a major topic of discussion following reports that the Central African Republic may accept certain third-country deportees from the United States under a developing migration arrangement. The reported agreement has generated interest among policymakers, legal experts, immigration authoriti

Read More

Ongoing Discussions Between Altice France Group and

June 7, 2026
36758

Ongoing Discussions Between Altice France Group and

Press ReleaseThis article is based on a press release or official communication from Wire News Service. The European Times republishes it as a public service.

Press release
Paris, 5 June 2026
Continued talks between Altice France group and Bouygues Telecom, Free-iliad Group and Orange
On 17 April 2026, Bouygues Telecom, Free-iliad Group and Orange announced they had submitted a new offer valui

Read More

Israel Strikes Hezbollah in Beirut Despite Ceasefire

June 7, 2026
65023

Israel Strikes Hezbollah in Beirut Despite Ceasefire

Over the weekend, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah persisted despite a U.S.-supported ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which Hezbollah has rejected.

Read More

France Sanctions Update: Five New Measures Under Review Amid Growing Global Attention for Paris 2026

June 7, 2026
63521

France Sanctions Update: Five New Measures Under Review Amid Growing Global Attention for Paris 2026

PARIS, France, June 7 – Eurotoday — France sanctions update developments are drawing international attention after French officials indicated that additional sanctions targeting certain Israeli settlers could be imposed in the coming days. The comments reflect growing diplomatic concern regarding ongoing tensions in the West Bank and signal that European governments continue evaluating policy opt

Read More