For the first time, Green Transition Forum 6.0: Europe’s Next Chapter – Competitive. Innovative. Secure. June 1 – 5, 2026, Sofia, opens a space aimed entirely at young people. The three-day GTF Youth Forum will be held from June 3 to 5, and in the Green Transition Podcast studio on dir.bg, Diana Alexandrova and Monika Yosifova from the forum’s organizational team presented the program and goals of the new youth format.
The topic of including young people in conversations about the future often sounds like a cliché, but according to the organizers, reality requires a different approach. “It is always said that young people are our future. In fact, we must realize that they are both part of the future and the present,” says Monika Yosifova.
It is from this logic that the creation of the GTF Youth Forum begins – with the idea that young people should not just be an audience, but active participants in conversations and decisions. According to Diana Alexandrova, the format is deliberately different from traditional events: “This is not another event to speak to young people, but an event where they can sit at the same table with politicians, opinion leaders, experts and business to discuss together the topics that concern them.”
According to the organizers, the program reflects this approach. Under the motto Empowering Future Changemakers, the forum combines discussions and lectures with interactive formats – workshops, Q&A sessions, mentoring panels and networking opportunities. The goal is not only to present useful information, but also to create an environment for participation and exchange.
The topics are selected to respond to the real issues that young people face today – financial literacy, entrepreneurship, skills of the future, education and its relationship with the labor market, mental health and physical culture. In addition, the program also includes emphasis on innovation, artificial intelligence, leadership and the economy of the future.
A strong focus is also placed on practical skills – how to prepare a good CV, how to build a professional profile on LinkedIn, what employers are looking for and how the work environment is changing.
Among the highlights is the topic of influencership. “We will discuss whether an influencer can influence policies and decisions and how, but also what responsibility do people whose voices are the loudest on social networks bear,” notes Alexandrova.
The organizers also raise another important question – that of communication between generations. “Is there a gap? Yes, there definitely is,” says Yosifova. That is why the program includes a panel dedicated to the clash between generations and their different expectations. According to her, without active dialogue, this distance can hardly be overcome.
Three pitching sessions for presenting business ideas are also planned within the framework of the forum, said Monika Yosifova. During the “Pitch Games” format, a kind of competition will be held, in which participants present bold and creative ideas for start-ups, and the audience will choose the best ones. Another session will follow the step-by-step process of listing a company on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange.
Participation in the youth forum is free for people between the ages of 16 and 30. With the support of the Center for Human Resources Development, an opportunity is opened for participation by young people from different cities in the country and even from other European countries, with the Erasmus+ program providing transportation and accommodation costs. Application through the program is open until April 10.
In parallel, the tradition of including volunteers in the organization of the event continues. Over 100 people are expected to participate this year – not only students, but also schoolchildren and young people from all over the country and abroad. “Volunteers are part of our team,” emphasizes Diana Alexandrova, adding that in addition to organizational experience, they receive access to all discussions, lectures and participants in the forum. Anyone who wishes to join the initiative as a volunteer can do so by submitting their application on the Green Transition Forum website.
By expanding the format, the Green Transition Forum is attempting to open another space for conversation – this time with the generation that is increasingly actively seeking its place in topics such as economy, sustainability, innovation, and the future.
Ad Notem: The sixth edition of the Green Transition Forum will be held in Sofia between 1 and 5 June 2026 under the motto “Europe’s Next Chapter – Competitive. Innovative. Secure”.
Organized by Dir.bg, the largest digital media portal in Bulgaria, the forum has established itself as one of the most influential European platforms where political leaders, European institutions, business and global partners meet to determine the direction of the continent’s transformation.
Over the years, the event has gathered over 20,000 participants and more than 1,200 speakers from 40 countries, becoming a true space for dialogue that unites economic ambitions, sustainable investments and European convergence.
What distinguishes the Green Transition Forum is not only its scale, but also its spirit – open, visionary and deeply European.
The 2026 edition will be dedicated to Europe’s new strategic agenda, exploring how the European Union can translate its long-term priorities into real action – by strengthening competitiveness, accelerating innovation and ensuring security in a dynamically changing global world.
Illustrative Photo by CaptainFrank_: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-view-of-fields-18050477/
