Boyan Yurukov

Bulgarian

A 24 year old blogger, activist, student and techie. As a child of the democratic changes in Bulgaria, I've always searched for the reason why we - bulgarians, failed to build a stable country for the past 100+ years. It all lead me to the conclusion that it is more important to develop the minds of the young than to change those of the old.

Attending One Young World 09 will be invaluable experience not only for me, but also for all those I am working and sharing with.

I'm born in Dobrich, Bulgaria. At the age of 14 I started programing. That could explain my love for technology. Then in highschool, when my family and I moved to Plovdiv - the second largest city in Bulgaria, I started taking part in multiple youth organization, initiatives and competitions. When I graduated, I realized I need to see other cultures and gain international experience so I applied in several European universities. I chose to study in Darmstadt, Germany, not only because it holds one of the highest rakings in Computer Science in Germany, but also because it has one of the biggest percentage of international students.

In Germany I kept on participating in various initiatives and activist movements. I started several websites that aimed at organizing the Bulgarian community in Germany, I am still taking part in several movements for returning Bulgarian student abroad back to Bulgaria, so that they can bring their experience and knowledge to our country. I have taken active role in organizing my own community to vote on the last few elections and to raise awareness and understanding among Bulgarians of European policies. I also helped organize massive virtual political protests in my country, a side effect of which was the wide recognition of the power of Internet on politics and public opinion in Bulgaria.

Currently I am helping with advise, PR and/or by sharing my contacts to at least 5 initiatives. One such idea is bringing youth organizations, business and local authorities in several Bulgarian cities together so that one or more of them can apply for a European Youth Capital for 2012. Another such initiative is the TH!NK 2 competition that focuses on climate change. My goal there is to spread the word among the bulgarian youth and initiate a discussion around the Bulgarian bloggers that deal with this issue.

Overall my greatest ambition is bringing people together and giving them the motivation and tools to find a solution for themselves. As a IT guy, I have the advantage of knowing how Internet and technology can help me now and in 5 - even 10 years. Technology however is still just a tool - a mean of communication. Getting the right people together and tuning their minds to the right vibe is an art. Staying together and achieving results after that is the real challenge.