site.btaYouth and Sports Minister Participates in Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council in Brussels

Bulgaria's Youth and Sports Minister Georgi Glouchkov talked about the role of volunteers in European sport at Tuesday's Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council in Brussels, his Ministry said.

"The Bulgarian Ministry of Youth and Sports works in close cooperation with sports and youth organizations and with local authorities to support volunteering. We provide financial support to cover the costs of volunteers involved in organizing and running sporting activities and competitions administered under our programmes," Glouchkov said.

Earlier in the day he attended an informal lunch of the sport ministers, who discussed the place of women in sport.

"Bulgaria's national policies address women's participation and leadership in a multidisciplinary and multilevel perspective, both in sport and in other sectors. This is a process that cuts across education and training, youth policies, labour and social policies. It is complemented by specific measures to promote women's participation and leadership," Glouchkov said at the lunch meeting.

"The Tokyo Olympics proved that women are among the most recognizable athletes in Bulgaria. Women won gold medals in karate, boxing and rhythmic gymnastics, as well as medals in shooting and wrestling. (...) Women are performing successfully in traditionally 'male' sports, which gives a strong impetus to overcoming gender-role stereotypes," he said.

Glouchkov is in Brussels for the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council with Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Petar Mladenov. The two held a series of meetings.

The Bulgarian minister talked with Iliana Ivanova, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and with his counterparts from Romania, Croatia, Greece and Cyprus.