Want to learn about the benefits of our courses? Click here: https://smokinya.com/testimonials/
B.R.I.G.H.T Future 2025 | Final Week in Mrachenik
2025 , August 13 – September 9
Mrachenik, Bulgaria
Participating countries: Bulgaria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Turkey, India, Kazakhstan, Portugal
Under the B.R.I.G.H.T Future 2025 programme, the last week has been among the most meaningful: participants stepped into leadership, passed through disconnection, and put into action ideas for the school and broader village.
Reconnection Week: With Phones & In The Presence
At the end of the second week, the participants’ phones were returned. What seemed like a simple act — turning the screens back on — carried a deeper meaning. After week of living fully present, working with their hands, and sharing time without digital distractions, reconnecting with their devices felt different. Now they carried with them the awareness of how life feels without constant notifications, how meaningful it is to be face-to-face, and how powerful it is to choose PRESENCE.
The last week of B.R.I.G.H.T Future 2025 stood out because participants took full ownership of the project — they were the ones making decisions, choosing tasks, and leading the work for the school and the village of Mrachenik. Unlike the earlier weeks, when much of the structure was guided, this time the responsibility rested entirely on their shoulders, giving them the chance to show initiative, creativity, and teamwork. This shift brought a sense of independence and pride, making the final days not only about saying goodbye but also about celebrating what they had achieved together.
From what unfolded this last week, we can see key values in action:
• Empowerment: participants aren’t passive; they are decision-makers.
• Connection: to self, others, nature, village.
• Practical impact: work isn’t symbolic — renovated rooms, cleared paths, better tools-organisation.
• Learning by doing: leadership emerges in context, not in theory. Some participants took on roles like leading groups, coordinating materials, and had to make decisions under uncertainty. For example, Carlos (a team leader) describes how each morning he was given a task and a group, and he focused on enabling others to act rather than doing things for them.
OFF BOARDING
The combination of phone-free time, participant autonomy in choosing tasks, and focus on what the school and village really need has created not just physical improvements to Mrachenik — but also deep shifts in connection, responsibility, and meaning. As the festival and closing days approach, the impact of this week will likely ripple: in the school, in the village, and in the hearts of those who joined. The off-boarding was not just about leaving — it was about stepping into the next chapter, brighter and more connected than before. Hugs, tears, and heartfelt words filled the last day, carrying both the sadness of parting and the joy of knowing they had built something meaningful together that would remain long after they left.
This program is co-funded by the Erasmus+ / European Solidarity Corps program of the European Union.
Финансирано от Европейския съюз. Изразените възгледи и мнения обаче принадлежат изцяло на техния(ите) автор(и) и не отразяват непременно възгледите и мненията на Европейския съюз или на Европейската изпълнителна агенция за образование и култура (EACEA). За тях не носи отговорност нито Европейският съюз, нито EACEA.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
