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Three young Bulgarians recently took part in the “Journey of Labels” training course in Bergolo, Italy. This week-long experience brought together people from all over Europe to explore stereotypes, biases, and how we can build more inclusive spaces.
Here’s what they had to say about what they learned, how it’s changed their perspectives, and what they’re bringing back to Bulgaria.
“Our Time in Bergolo”
What a week. Our team just got back from Bergolo, Italy, where we took part in the training course “Journey of Labels” . It’s hard to put into words, but this experience really made us look at things differently. We went in hoping to learn a bit about stereotypes and inclusion, but we came away with much more.
It turns out we all carry around stereotypes without even realising it. This training pushed us to stop and think about the labels we put on others, often without meaning to. It was eye-opening to understand how our brains work, jump to conclusions, sometimes unfairly, and how these little judgments shape how we see the world. It sounds like a cliche, but recognising these biases is the first step to changing them.
One big takeaway? Inclusion doesn’t just happen on its own. We learned practical ways to make sure everyone feels like they belong, whether that’s in a youth group, a classroom, or just hanging out with friends. It’s amazing how small actions—like asking questions, being open, and making space for different voices—can make a huge difference.
We’re coming back to Bulgaria ready to actually put this into practice.The methods we used were super interesting. From ‘ontological coaching’ (which got us thinking about how our words shape our reality) to ‘storytelling’ and ‘learning by doing’ – each one helped us go a bit deeper. We even did exercises with ‘neuro-linguistic programming’ (NLP), which sounds hard but was actually about understanding how our thoughts, words, and behaviors are all connected. Trying out these tools first-hand made the lessons feel real and personal.
We’re coming home with a new sense of purpose. We don’t want to just learn about inclusion – we want to live it. That means challenging our own assumptions, being more open to others and creating spaces where everyone feels like they belong. This week was just the start, and we’re excited to keep pushing for a world where people are seen for who they really are – not the labels that society sticks on them.
We sincerely thank to the trainers, everyone we met and Bergolo itself for being such an inspiring place. Here’s to building a more open, understanding world—one conversation at a time.
Want to learn about the benefits of our courses? Click here: https://smokinya.com/testimonials/
Information about the project: “Journey of Labels”
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
This program is co-funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union.
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be
held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. //
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