site.btaBulgaria Participates in International Day of Play in UN Headquarters in New York

The Permanent Mission of Bulgaria to the UN, together with UNICEF and another five other UN Member States, co-organized the second commemoration of the International Day of Play, an initiative proposed by Bulgaria and an inter-regional group of countries in 2024, said the Mission on its Facebook page.

The event was opened by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and featured two Bulgarian panelists, Vessela Gercheva, co-founder and first program director of the Muzeiko Children's Museum in Sofia, and Lily Gray, UNESCO representative, as well as a Bulgarian children's panelist, 14-year-old Alexander Angelov, who spoke in support of the importance of play for children's development.

"Games make me feel free. It gives me a second life - a space where I can be myself, communicate freely with others, create memories and learn new skills. In a world where school and learning are the most important things to a child, it is sometimes exhausting to be a child. It's like my whole life has to revolve around learning, and that constant pressure is really tiring," Angelov said.

"Playing gives me the break I need. It is a safe haven where I can do what I want and be who I am. The feeling of not being limited by the rules and expectations that often come with school is refreshing. Through play I feel like a better version of myself - capable of more, more confident. And I believe every child deserves to experience that freedom and development," he said.

The Charge d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria to the UN, Krasimira Beshkova, joined other heads of missions to share her views on the importance of the game.

The event also featured outdoor games and activities on the UN campus that were accessible to both children and adults. Among those present were Bulgaria's Consul General in New York, Angel Angelov, as well as diplomats from the Permanent Mission.