About the project

On January 10, 2022, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development - Bulgaria launched the implementation of the project "Virtual Tour - Unknown Sofia" with the financial support of Sofia Municipality - Program "Europe" 2021. The project aims to implement active actions to promote the idea of ​​rediscovering Sofia and its little-known historical, <span>architectur</span>al, cultural and artistic monuments and landmarks.

The creation of a website and mobile application will provide an opportunity for citizens and visitors to Sofia to share information and feedback about the sights, thus supporting the process of promoting tourist routes in the city and local cultural, historical and tourist attractions. The aim is to increase the awareness of the capital through an interactive experience and create a stable basis for public support and empathy, as well as stability, sustainability and future multiplication of the intended results. The planned goals and results should be achieved by the beginning of May 2022.

The planned project activities include:

• Analysis and research of appropriate historical, <span>architectu</span>ral, cultural and artistic places and sites on the territory of Sofia;
• Formation of public and civil interest in the identified objects;
• Creating and promoting a website with a description and information about the identified places with increased public interest;
• Creation and distribution of a mobile application with the identified landmarks / routes;
• Publicity and public information activities.

On August 19, 2022, the Foundation “Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development – Bulgaria” started the implementation of the project “Sofia – virtually more and more known” with the financial support of the Metropolitan Municipality – Program “Europe” 2022. The initiative plans to upgrade the previously implemented activities on the project “Virtual tour – unknown Sofia”.

The second stage of the project will complement the palette of already existing objects and routes on the website https://unknown-sofia.com/ and will increase the familiarity of the capital.  Changes in the software product will allow the results to reach as wide a range of people as possible, incl. to persons with visual impairments to get equal access for “digital” familiarization with the objects. The intended goals and results should be achieved by the middle of November 2022.

Planned project activities include:

• Improvement and upgrade of website and mobile application, including: expansion of routes by adding new ones; creating a calendar of events held within the scope of the objects published on the website; voicing the description of the objects in order to provide access to the information for people with visual problems; providing the possibility of user addition of materials.
• Development of a digital game, generating interest in the identified objects and routes – gamification.
• Publicity and awareness activities.
• Organizing and conducting a closing event.

On July 1st, 2023, the Foundation "Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development - Bulgaria" started the implementation of the project "Virtual walk through the unknown Sofia - digital adventure" with the financial support of the Metropolitan Municipality - Program "Europe" 2023. The implementation of the project is expected to supplemented, upgraded and ensured sustainable development of the results achieved as a result of the already implemented previous projects "Virtual tour - unknown Sofia" and " Sofia – virtually more and more known", implemented with the financial support of the Sofia Municipality, under the "Europe 2021" Program and "Europe 2022".

The third stage of the project continues to promote the innovative and digital presentation of the capital's historical and cultural landmarks, as well as the creation of digital products presenting interesting and lesser-known sites. In order to achieve satisfying results, innovative methods will be used that arouse the interest of a younger audience.

Planned project activities include:

• Improvement and upgrade of website and mobile application, incl. adding audio in a foreign language (English and French), expanding the routes, updating the digital calendar of events.
• Creation of innovative products to promote the selected objects in the capital, such as a memory card (USB card) with interactive content and a digital puzzle in the form of a collage with photos of selected objects.
• Publicity and awareness activities in order to spread the achieved results.
• Organizing and holding a closing event at the end of the project implementation.

The intended goals and results should be achieved by the end of October 2023.