A two-day forum on lifelong learning for adults will discuss the perspectives for adult education in Bulgaria starting on Friday in the National Palace of Culture (NDK).

Over 40 organizations working in the sphere will be discussing the memorandum of the European Union for lifelong learning.
The memorandum was released last year by the European Commission and outlined key areas involved in adult education. Among these were addressing new skills, investing in human resources and valuing learning. It provides a structure for countries to use when addressing lifelong learning in their own communities.

The participants of the forum will present general educational programs and there will also be seminars on foreign language learning and professional learning.

All the seminars will end up with a final concluding document with recommendations, which will be included in the Ministry of Education's report along with the measures needed to stimulate lifelong learning.

Fourteen displays from different institutions will present their activities in the NDK foyer. The forum is a part of a Stability Pact project, according to the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Popular Universities. The initiative called Open Doors Day will demonstrate the improvements made on the project so far.

The Adult Education project in Bulgaria is a part of the Improvement of Local and Regional Adult Education Establishments project - aimed at supporting stability in Southeast Europe, instigated by the Institute for International Cooperation at the Association of German Popular Universities.

"The purpose of the project is to stimulate adequate offers for improvement of the income situation, to improve resources for social, democratic and environment protecting activities," said Johann Theessen, director of the Institute of German Popular Universities on Tuesday.

According to Krassimira Kraus, director of professional education and learning with the Ministry of Education, continuous vocational education is seen as a requirement for reduction of unemployment, guaranteeing equality of opportunity and mobility as well as adaptability, and the ability to be competitive on the labour market. "It is important to understand that adult education does not only mean acquisition of a better or new vocational competence, but offers to every person, according to his or her individual needs, another opportunity to satisfy his or her yearning for self-improvement and a higher cultural level," she added.

According to professor Maria Atanasova, all learning activities "from the cradle to the grave," evolve from a common foundation of knowledge and skills, built upon the basics of reading, writing and numeracy. "Not only the acquisition of purely professional qualifications, but the constant upgrading of a complex variety of skills, notions, knowledge and interests throughout life are at the heart of the lifelong learning concept," she added.