ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INNOVATIONS

ASORI was founded in November 2009, although the idea for it dates back to the spring of 2007 following the success of a project related to preserving the historical and cultural heritage in the border regions of Bulgaria and Greece. The association was founded by renowned Bulgarian journalists, lawyers, economists, energy resources specialists, engineers and experts in marketing and communications. Today, our team is comprised by professionals in the fields of IT, education, European projects, digital marketing and social entrepreneurship. ASORI promotes social responsibility, inclusion, sustainable development and entrepreneurial culture amongst youth through technological and social innovation. Additionally, the activities of the organization support the preservation of historical and cultural heritage while fostering competitiveness and sustainable growth of the Bulgarian economy and society through promotion of innovation, transfer of know-how and increase in the level of digital literacy and competencies. ASORI enables and facilitates national and cross-border networking and cooperation of NGOs, public and private sector organizations in order to curate a community that works towards better cohesion and advocacy of key EU policies. The members of the organization are mainly young people (15-29 years); students and professionals in various fields, adherents of artistic and cultural as well as healthy lifestyles. Particular attention is paid to disadvantaged young people who participate equally in all previous projects and activities of the Association. During the years of its activity the Association has carried out numerous activities in the field of youth, trying to find a way to counteract basic and current problems such as: - Youth unemployment; - development of different fields of art; - health and improving physical activity among young people; - problems of migrants, asylum seekers; - problems of young people in isolation, social and economic dimensions; - attracting funding opportunities and improving the dimensions of the cultural and artistic environment in the social context. The main staff of the association is mostly young people who have set themselves the goal of giving their peers the best by developing them and actively engaging in a variety of activities in their interest. The main mission of the association is to increase the chances of personal and social realization and the removal of possible barriers to young people, so that they are highly motivated, well prepared for employment and mobility as European citizens, fighting for environmental protection and leading eco- consistent lifestyle. A large part of the association's activities integrate the arts as a tool for self-knowledge, tolerance and improvement of social skills. An innovative approach to our members' work is to combine art and nature, thus building sustainable and meaningful products and installations that carry social messages and at the same time have artistic value.