With greetings from European partners, the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre marks 20 years of work for the online protection of children

On Safer Internet Day, which this year was held on 11 February, the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre marked its 20th anniversary. The event took place under the motto "20 years of protecting our children online!" and was attended by experts from the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of the Interior, State Agency for Child Protection, Bulgarian municipalities, school principals, representatives of mobile operators, cybersecurity companies, journalists, members of the Safer Internet Centre’s Advisory Board, teachers, parents, and young people.

The Centre presented the achievements from two decades of work in protecting children and families in the digital environment, as well as up-to-date data from the operation of its Helpline and Hotline for reporting harmful content.

The Centre has been a member of the international INHOPE and Insafe networks since its establishment in 2005. Five years later, in 2010, the Safer Internet Centre launched its national Helpline 124 123 to provide support to children and parents. The Centre holds a Quality Certificate from INHOPE, and in Bulgaria, it is also recognised by the Ministry of the Interior as a trusted partner of both international and local structures and organisations, as well as major social platforms, enabling it to act as a “fast track” for the removal of harmful and illegal content.

For the past seven years, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, the Safer Internet Centre’s model for digital and media literacy has been implemented in Bulgarian schools. It is now applied in over 100 schools across the country. Since its inception, the Centre has trained more than 63,000 children, young people, parents, and teachers. Over 720 training sessions have been conducted nationwide, and through the Hotline and Helpline, support has been provided to over 115,500 children and parents, responding to their reports or questions.

Following the official part, a second event took place, led by the enthusiastic representatives of the Youth Panel of the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre and Youth Volunteers from Varna Municipality. In an informal setting, without media or institutional representatives, the young participants shared with their peers how they use the internet, what they know about the dangers online, and how they protect themselves. The activities were held in the form of discussions in seven different interactive groups, each focused on a specific aspect of online safety. The event reached its peak with an interactive Kahoot quiz, where participants demonstrated the knowledge they had gained. The top five contestants received special awards. The day left fond memories and sparked new friendships, confirming that teamwork and peer-to-peer skill sharing can help make the digital space a safer environment for young people.

Learn more about Safer Internet Day activities in Bulgaria on their SID page on our platform!

Further information about the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre can be found on the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) public portal, including links to its national websites and other contact information. Similar information can be found on the BIK portal for all Safer Internet Centres in Europe.