In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

TEDxSamokov
Profesor Vasil Zahariev 2
Samokov, Sofia, 2000
Bulgaria

Chris Zahariev

Chris Zahariev is a director, vlogger, internet storyteller. He is the winner of the "Alarm Clock of the Year" awards of BNT and BNR, as well as "Flight in Art" of the Stoyan Kambarev Foundation, the most prestigious award for a young artist in Bulgaria. He has worked on advertising campaigns and numerous music videos, and is the creator of the web-series "To Lose It On Purpose". In September 2020, he represented Bulgaria as part of the youth jury at the international Venice Film Festival.As a director, his films have been nominated at numerous international festivals, the most prestigious of which is the "Special Jury Award" at the VGIK Moscow 2021 World Student Film Festival. In 2021, he created the fashion brand with a mission - brave*, together with Chris Makarov, with whom he works together on the music group "Molets".

Georgi Nikolov

He is the founder and chairman of the SEED Foundation. Its focus revolves around youth development, volunteering, beautification of public spaces, training, professional development and access to cultural events.

Kostadinka Hristowa

My whole life path is connected with Samokov – I was born here, my family, my work, my life is here. I graduated from SU "Kliment Ohridski" with a major in Bulgarian philology, and in my professional path, fate connected my life with young people - I am a teacher at the Samokov "Konstantin Fotinov" high school, a school with nearly 130 years of history, with indisputable authority in our city, education of a number of self-smiths. I treat my work with respect and responsibility. I try to combine my teaching experience with my scientific interests in the field of literature. I have published three collections for the preparation of high school graduates and candidate students, I am the author of a number of articles in the specialized magazine "Bulgarian Language and Literature". For me, from a professional perspective, innovative teaching methods are of particular interest - interactivity in learning, STEM-learning, project-based and problem-based learning, etc. I am the author of my own methodological development of technology for conducting transdisciplinary lessons. My methodological searches led me to discover the possibilities of information technologies and to connect these possibilities with my work in the literature and Bulgarian language classes. I try to educate myself because I realize that learning is a continuous process. I introduce self-learned digital applications (eg Bookcreator; In Design) to my students and help them master them, encourage them to work with them, create their own products and actively participate in common projects. In my series of participation in professional scientific conferences related to the introduction of innovative teaching methods, I present my pedagogical searches and experiments. My work at school is not only related to teaching in school hours. In the last ten years, I have been the leader of various clubs for activities of interest. - Media design, neurographics club "Grafikon", literary club "Agador", club for developing language competences "I, books, vedi" With the most sustainable development among them is the club "I am an author!", which publishes the school magazine "#Apostrophe'ART". We are particularly proud of this magazine, because the patron of our school - Konstantin Fotinov - is the founder of the periodical press in Bulgaria. For my professional achievements, I was awarded the Certificate for Teacher of the Year (2018) from the municipality. Samokov My profession is dynamic, difficult, but also very invigorating. I like the daily challenges in it, which make me keep on searching, learning. My personal interests are related to culture and the arts, to the possibilities of magical new technologies, to psychology and human relations. That's how I met neurographics - a method for creating and re-creating the world. I want to talk about him at this year's TEDx in Samokov.

Mario Postalov

He was born in 1990 in Veliko Tarnovo but grows up in the small town of Knezha to a family of divorced parents. After graduating from Secondary school there, he enrols into the National school for Arts in Pleven and later, in the Academy for Musical and Dance Arts in Plovdiv. He graduates with a degree in Bulgarian Choreography. Although he simultaneously graduates from Burgas Law School, he makes dance and art his business and now, it might be difficult to explain what exactly he does for a living. Often, the answer is: EVERYTHING.

Petar Djuganski

32 years old, married, one child. Petar works as an HR manager at OpenTag – an international IT company with approx. 200 employees in Bulgaria, the Ukraine and other parts of Europe. Petar has authored a range of publications on the topic of business. He is one of the popular Bulgarian personae in LinkedIn and hosts a podcast: SuperHuman Resources. Ex-international linesman in football. Proud native of Samokov

Plamen Kodrov

Plamen Kodrov graduated from the Institute for Molecular Biology in Sofia. Later, adrenaline becomes his irresistible passion and he turns it into art: photography.

Ralitza Stoqnova

Born in 1985 in Samokov. Graduated from the School for Arts and Dances in Plovdiv. Longstanding leader of the school for dances at Otec Paisii Samokov. For just minutes of pleasure on stage, we pay hours, days, weeks, months, even years and sooner of later we realise it is worth it. Everything in the Universe has a rhythm.

Sotir Nemov

One of the well known names in the area of business development, and not only in Samokov. He is married and has two children. Graduates in Plovdiv with a degree in the food industry. He chooses to develop his abilities in Samokov as he feels he is rooted there. Creates a company for sweets. He has been in the business for 30 years, 18 of which he has been a producer.

Svetlin Stefanov

38 years old, from Samokov. Svetlin graduated from the National Sports Academy as a coach and masseur. Former competitor in motocross. At the moment, he is developing his project of the same name as this talk

Victor Varoshkin

He was born in Samokov, where he graduated from secondary school. He studies journalism but Rila mountain beckons him into alpinism. After many technically difficult ascends in the Andes, the Alps, the Caucuses and the mountains on the Balkans, he graduates from ENSA (French National School for Alpinism) and becomes one of the three certified international alpine guides in Bulgaria. At present, he trains future generations of guides. At the same time, he has been a mountain safety and rescue professional for the past five years.