The 22nd of September marked the beginning of the new school year.
The special guests of the event were youths, ages 15 -17, from the social home in Blagoevgrad. At the opening they had the opportunity to experience environmental education programs created specifically for the Eco-center.
Throughout the day, professional educators carried out the Eco-center’s first outdoor activities. The youths from Blagoevgrad were involved in active educational games. They identified various tree species, discovered different secrets of nature, deciphered messages written in morse code, learned about water, worked in teams, survived crossing “swift-flowing and poison” river and a rope bridge.
After few hours of exploring Vlahi village and becoming acquainted with the surrounding nature, the youths wrote about their impressions and experiences in the Eco-center’s first “school book.”
The opening of “the school year” was covered by the national media. Two reports were broadcast on the central news of bTV and NTV. On Sunday (23.09.07), on “Horizon,” the national radio program, the show “Your Bulgaria” was devoted to Vlahi and the projects developing there.
In the early evening an informative tour of the Eco-center was organized for all of the guests, as well as interesting games related to the study of nature.
Later in the evening, about 60 volunteers and friends of the Vlahi Eco-center enjoyed themselves dancing to music provided by DJ Dharba and DJ Dancing Angel.
The guests sampled red wine from the region of Stara Kresna and tasted the best home made banitza. The banitza was prepared by the great friends of Eco-center Vlahi, the grannies of Kresna, some of whom studied in the Eco-center building when they were children.
The locals of Vlahi joined the party as well, many of whom were also once students in the building of the Eco-center. They had fun and did not stop to remember about the parties organized “once upon a time” in the school yard. They were simply pleased to take part in the new festivities.
Spirits were high on the opening day of the Eco-center. The joy felt by the guests was evident by their dancing and singing throughout the party. The sound of music and voices echoing in the surrounding hills confirmed that youth is once again returning to Vlahi.