site.btaOver 1,200 Young People Take Part in Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative

More than 1,200 young people, and representatives of local communities and institutions took part in the Escape Truck prevention initiative, organized by the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (NCCTHB), the Education Ministry said on Friday. The Ministry of Education and Science was among the initiative’s institutional partners.

For three weeks, the mobile escape room visited 11 cities across Bulgaria, presenting true stories of human trafficking victims. Participants were given the opportunity to experience the real risks of exploitation and to understand how difficult it is to escape.

Deputy Education Minister Emilia Lazarova took part in the official closing event of the initiative in Bulgaria. She commended the organizers and stressed the importance of open dialogue with young people on such topics, helping them recognize potential risks and build active civic awareness. The discussions also focused on strengthening cooperation aimed at protecting young people from all forms of exploitation. Participants emphasized the key role of society as a whole, and of education in particular, in encouraging open conversations about dangers and fostering trust so that young people feel empowered to share concerns with parents and friends to safeguard their lives and well-being.

Among the participants in the official closing event were Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bulgaria Arthur den Hartog, Deputy Interior Minister Toni Todorov, as well as representatives of the British Council for Bulgaria and Romania, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Sofia Municipality, and other institutions.

The initiative was implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of the Netherlands, its diplomatic mission in Bulgaria, and the Netherlands national police, as well as Bulgarian partners including the Interior Ministry, Education Ministry, Sofia Municipality, and the municipalities of Botevgrad, Montana, Lukovit, Pleven, Blagoevgrad, Sandanski, Petrich, Kardzhali, Burgas, and Varna. Local commissions for combating trafficking in human beings in Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Montana, and Pleven also took part, along with partner organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Bulgaria, the A21 Campaign Foundation, and the Open Space Foundation.