site.btaVarna Hosts European Geography Olympiad

The 12th edition of the European Geography Olympiad (EGEO) opens in Varna on Sunday, marking the first time Bulgaria has hosted an international geography competition for secondary school students. The event runs until July 2 with financial support from the Varna Municipality and the Ministry of Education and Science.

More than 100 students from 13 countries will compete in junior (under 16) and senior (under 19) categories. Bulgaria is represented by 11 students, four in the junior group and seven in the senior group.

The participating teams are from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland and the Czechia.

Contestants will compete in three rounds conducted in English: a written test, fieldwork and a multimedia test assessing geographical knowledge and practical skills.

The Olympiad is organized by Dr Petar Beron High School of Mathematics, the Regional Department of Education in Varna, the Faculty of Geology and Geography at Sofia University, and the Association of Olympic Teams in Natural Sciences. It is part of the Geodecade 2020–2029 initiative to promote geography education in Bulgaria.

While the jury evaluates the results, participants will visit Cape Kaliakra, the Balchik University Botanical Garden, Aladzha Monastery and the Regional Museum of History in Varna. A cultural evening featuring presentations by all participating countries is also included in the programme.