society and politics
Public debates
The public debates of the Red House are an invitation for an authentic and honest public dialogue on our shared life as citizens. They open discussions on the most important social, political and cultural issues of our time. The starting point of most debates are the interesting, in-depth analyses of panelists that aim to provoke an open discussion. You can take part in the live debates or ask questions and make comments online in the respective Facebook event. Your questions/comments will be included by the moderator in the live event, half of which is dedicated to a discussion.
The debates are open to a variety of speakers and social groups. We make a particular effort to present voices that cannot be heard elsewhere – young people, women, minorities, etc.
The debates are open to a variety of speakers and social groups. We make a particular effort to present voices that cannot be heard elsewhere – young people, women, minorities, etc.
Participate in the debates
Participate in the live debates or make comments and ask questions on Facebook. Your comments and questions will be included by the moderator in the live discussion.
Follow the debates on YouTube!
Our debates and discussions have had famous guests and lecturers like writers Orhan Pamuk, Dubravka Ugrešić and Georgi Gospodinov, academic and attorney Lawrence Lessig, war journalist Kevin Sites, political scientist Ivan Krastev, historian Timothy Snyder, citizen activist Cristian Picciolini, and many other intellectuals from Bulgaria or abroad, as well as students, citizen organizations, alternative new elites in art, business and science.
society and politics
Public lectures
The Red House organizes public lectures on current issues like bioethics, contemporary culure, copyright, politics and economics, media and others.
Follow our public lectures on YouTube!
society and politics
Current projects and series
Festival of Ideas on Europe
Part of the Project Festival of Ideas on EU
Part of the Project Festival of Ideas on EU
8 - 16 april 2019 | 18:00 - 20:00 | Red House for Culture and Debate | Cervantes Institut - Sofia | Sofia University – Mirror Hall
Just a month ahead of the upcoming European elections in May 2019, we are bringing together prominent European thinkers, representatives of political groups, experts, academics, students and citizens to discuss together potential answers to those crucial questions.
Just a month ahead of the upcoming European elections in May 2019, we are bringing together prominent European thinkers, representatives of political groups, experts, academics, students and citizens to discuss together potential answers to those crucial questions.
Open University
May 2016 – ongoing
A series of lectures on contemporary topics given by professors, scientists and experts. The lectures began as part of the project Reality Check and continue to this day. They have covered subjects like modern Bulgarian literature, the ethical issues surrounding technoscience, the history of Art Nouveao and alternative education methods.
A series of lectures on contemporary topics given by professors, scientists and experts. The lectures began as part of the project Reality Check and continue to this day. They have covered subjects like modern Bulgarian literature, the ethical issues surrounding technoscience, the history of Art Nouveao and alternative education methods.
society and politics
Past projects
Ideological Trajectories: the New Dissidents
October 2017 – June 2018
In this series we analyzed the rise of anti-Elite movements in Europe. Why did politicians and intellectuals active in the first years of democracy rebel against European elites? What turned a convinced pro-European into an advocate of Brexit? What changes in recent years made such ideological shifts possible?
Photo: IntrinsicIm
In this series we analyzed the rise of anti-Elite movements in Europe. Why did politicians and intellectuals active in the first years of democracy rebel against European elites? What turned a convinced pro-European into an advocate of Brexit? What changes in recent years made such ideological shifts possible?
Photo: IntrinsicIm
Trans-European Debates on the European Parliament
February 2018 – June 2018
The project allowed us to debate on important EU topics from a variety of perspectives – regional, national and pan-European. Our partners were the youth organization Bulgarian Debate Association, the European Time to Talk debate network, the Belgian debating organization Deburen and the Serbian Center for Cultural Decontamination.
The project allowed us to debate on important EU topics from a variety of perspectives – regional, national and pan-European. Our partners were the youth organization Bulgarian Debate Association, the European Time to Talk debate network, the Belgian debating organization Deburen and the Serbian Center for Cultural Decontamination.
Reality Check
May 2016 – January 2018
Positive examples of success in business, science and civil society can have an empowering effect on the individual. Through a series of debates, workshops, lectures and informal meetings, the platform Reality Check sought to put new ideas and practices in the spotlight, promote private initiative and innovation, counter disinformation by revealing the mechanisms of its production and promoting the culture of fact-checking, thus giving citizens the tools to impact political processes.
Photo: Paul Stein
Positive examples of success in business, science and civil society can have an empowering effect on the individual. Through a series of debates, workshops, lectures and informal meetings, the platform Reality Check sought to put new ideas and practices in the spotlight, promote private initiative and innovation, counter disinformation by revealing the mechanisms of its production and promoting the culture of fact-checking, thus giving citizens the tools to impact political processes.
Photo: Paul Stein
Our Europe: What Kind of Europe Do We Want?
February – November 2017
Created after dramatic events on the stage of Europe, today the European Union faces a wave of skepticism that puts the entire project in question. This requires us to think again about the goals and values that we all share: what does the European Union give us and what future do we want to have?
Created after dramatic events on the stage of Europe, today the European Union faces a wave of skepticism that puts the entire project in question. This requires us to think again about the goals and values that we all share: what does the European Union give us and what future do we want to have?
European Parliament Debate Network
2016–2017
In recent years propaganda in traditional and social media in Bulgaria has undermined the credibility of the European Union (EU) and its institutions and has reduced political activity. The aim of the project is to engage the public with the role of the European Parliament and to restore reliance on EU institutions by creating a wide network for discussions of the legislation of the Union.
In recent years propaganda in traditional and social media in Bulgaria has undermined the credibility of the European Union (EU) and its institutions and has reduced political activity. The aim of the project is to engage the public with the role of the European Parliament and to restore reliance on EU institutions by creating a wide network for discussions of the legislation of the Union.
Challenges to the Main European Values and the Future of Europe
2016–2017
Nineteen pan-European discussions were held as part of the project on topics identified as crucial to understanding the current challenges facing Europe.
Nineteen pan-European discussions were held as part of the project on topics identified as crucial to understanding the current challenges facing Europe.
Bulgarian Network for Civil Dialogue
2014 – 2015
The aim of the project was to develop the public sphere in Bulgaria by creating places for open civil debate. Eight independent cultural organizations from seven cities in Bulgaria joined the network to hold a series of civil debates and discussions – each in their own city – open to all citizens for discussing topics important to local communities and hearing different positions and voices.
The aim of the project was to develop the public sphere in Bulgaria by creating places for open civil debate. Eight independent cultural organizations from seven cities in Bulgaria joined the network to hold a series of civil debates and discussions – each in their own city – open to all citizens for discussing topics important to local communities and hearing different positions and voices.
