SOFIMUN.org ---> Organisers ---> Org & Ex coms

SOFIMUN 2009 Organizational and executive committees

Paola Ivanova (Org-com)

Supervisory Board (President of SOFIMUN Foundation)

Born in the sign of the Leo in 1983 in Sofia, Paola graduated one of Bulgaria’s top high schools – National High-school for Ancient Languages and Cultures. Currently she holds a MA (Master of arts) diploma from the University of Sofia, Bulgaria in Slav studies – South Slavic profile. During her university study, she was honored with scholarships from the University of Zagreb, Croatia and the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which gave her the unique opportunity to spend unforgettable time living in Zagreb and Sarajevo. Now Paola continues her academic work with a doctorate in mass medias at the University of Sofia.

Medias and public communications have always been of a great interest for Paola. Working already 8 years in the field as an international desk journalist and editor in various medias, currently she’s a Public Relations manager in a prosperous communication group company. In a meanwhile she proudly occupies the position of a president of the SOFIMUN International Foundation and continues her commitments to the NGO sector as a Secretary General of the Rotaract Club Sofia International and Secretary General National Union "Treasure the Bulgarian Heritage”. In addition, Paola is attending as participant and lecturer seminars, workshops and conferences, related with international and national security, defense policies, Balkan and Middle East region, medias and leadership.

Paola has two major passions of a lifelong type in her life – languages and traveling. Fluent in English, Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, currently she’s working on heightening the level of her Russian, have basic knowledge in Turkish and Slovenian and is learning Italian. In a meanwhile she’s practicing her travel passion whenever possible, by visiting her friends in close and distant parts of the world.

Recently a new passion occurred in Paola’s life – the well known Model UN virus. Her MUN career includes chairing the Human Rights Committee on the first Mostar International Model United Nations (MOSTIMUN 2009), chairing a national Model UN HRC, United Nations International Students Conference of Amsterdam 2009 (UNISCA), where she was granted the best delegate award, Zagreb Model UN (ZAGIMUN) in 2007 and 2008, Thessaloniki Model UN 2008 (THESSISMUN), plus few other national Model UN conferences in Bulgaria, and proud founder and organizer of the first Sofia International Model United Nations conference (SOFIMUN) in 2008.

"It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to."

J.D. Salinger, "Catcher in the rye"

Dimiter Mandradjiev (Org-com)

Supervisory Board (Executive Director of SOFIMUN Foundation)

Dimiter Mandradjiev is born in Sofia city, Bulgaria in 1986 and a month later he moved to sunny Cairo, Egypt for 3 years. His primary education was in the Baghdad International School under UN guidance in Baghdad, Iraq. He graduated the prestigious 35-th language high-school "Dobri Voinikov" in Sofia, Bulgaria.

He has an excellent bachelor degree in International relations program from New Bulgarian University in Sofia. During his second and third years of studies he was awarded with scholarships for excellent grades. Now he's studying for a Masters degree in International business after which will go to study in a Western society in order to deepen his knowledge upon economic policies related to civil societies' well being.

In 1999 Dimiter started to work upon youth activities. Most of the projects concern patriotism, education, nature and humanity. Meanwhile he founded a communication group company SVETU Ltd. In 2005 he received a gratitude letter from the President of the Republic of Bulgaria for the efforts made in developing and accomplishing initiatives and campaigns with patriotic meaning. Also he received a support letter by the Bulgarian prime-minister upon a new movement which he formed also in 2005.

One of Dimiter’s main commitments is in trying to build a better deal for Bulgarian citizens. The membership in various organizations like The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, founder and chairman of the national union "Treasure the Bulgarian Heritage", co-founder and Executive director of the SOFIMUN foundation are only part of his activities related at NGO level. He tries to make a difference in other organizations such as being President of Rotaract Club Sofia International. He has started making steps in improving his knowledge of different languages. Until now he is still bothered whether Bulgarian or English is his mother tongue, uses Russian and German and will master Arabic for the opportunities he will face in the future.

Dimiter became addicted to MUNs in Vienna in 2006. Since then - ZAGIMUN, THESSISMUN, UNISCA, MOSTIMUN and other MUN events - national and international - the aftermath says: 9 MUNs and 3 times chairperson. He feels the spirit of MUNs defiantly coincide with his ideals to make things better – a problem solver.

"I'm faster than you, I'm stronger than you, certainly I'll last much longer than you. You may think I'm the future, but you're wrong-you are! If I had a wish, I'd wish to be human. To know how it feels, to feel, to hope, to despair, to wonder, to love. I can achieve immortality by not wearing out, you can achieve immortality simply by doing one great thing! Keep walking..."

robot from Johnny Walker advertisement.

Polina Goranova (Org-com)

Supervisory Board (Director of Board of directors of SOFIMUN Foundation)

Born and raised in Bulgaria, Polina is currently finishing her Master Degree in Entrepreneurship at Amsterdam University. Her educational background also includes economics and computer technology.

Polina got the "MUN virus" about 2 years ago when she participated at UNISCA conference as a Chairperson at the Security Council. GIMUN and TEIMUN quickly followed the same year. Back in 2007 she considered the idea for organizing the first Model United Nations conference in Bulgaria as one of the most exciting initiatives she had ever undertaken. It did not take long to Paola, Dimiter and her to start real preparation for their common goal. Thanks to their entrepreneurial pro-activeness to create this exciting member of the MUN's family now in 2009 the 2-nd edition is under way.

Polina's friends say they like working with her because of the constant positive energy she has and her open-minded personality that helps innovation to prevail.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Mahatma Gandhi

Boris Tassev (Ex-com)

Conference manager

Boris Tassev is born on December 29^th 1984 in Sofia. Considers himself lucky to have graduated form one of the top high schools in Bulgaria – the First English Language School (FELS). In 2000 he got accepted in Middlesex School of Concord New Hampshire, but he chose to stay in Bulgaria. After four years in FELS, he got accepted at Bard College in NY, Annandale-on-Hudson, back then one of the top 20 Colleges and one of the most expensive ones on a Distinguished Scientist Scholarship for Natural Sciences and Mathematics, which allowed him to stay in the United States for a little bit more than four years.

In the mean time his interests shifted in a new direction. After exploring Mathematics and Computer Science for a year and a half he got introduced to the world of Economics. At that time he moderated for the Department of Economics of Bard College part of the Levy Economic Institute. From that point he delved in the field of Applied Macroeconomics and Finance, exploring the United States financial market and ending his academic work with a year long Senior Project exploring the booming housing crisis in the world focusing primarily on Bulgaria. In the mean time he gained experience in micromanaging in several IT companies in NY.

Currently Boris is back in Bulgaria managing a family company dealing with import of luxury goods and is a member of Rotaract Club Sofia International, where he whishes to have the opportunity to make a difference for the Bulgarian society.

Boris enjoys traveling around the world and meeting new people. His passion is the piano and he enjoys making conversations with it. His latest passion is dancing and he devotes quite some time to it.

Andrey Stoichev (Ex-com)

Fundraising manager

His life revolves around three things: politics, private enterprising and the preservation of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage.

Since 2005 he is a campaign manager, well it’s plain to see what it’s about, managing election campaigns. Sometimes and especially after the fifth one in a row he thinks that he is not managing it, but it’s the other way around. As soon as the elections are over, he and his colleagues from the department of political sciences at the New Bulgarian University, bang there heads at the question "Why people keep making the wrong choices time and time again?”. He and his friends are convinced that there is a world conspiracy aimed at rendering logic and reason worthless and to turn the conscious choice, which the voting is, into unconscious one.

From December 2006 he has gained interest in another area - the preservation and promotion of Bulgaria’s culture and heritage. So he and some friends started an NGO called National Union "Treasure the Bulgarian Heritage".

As far as private enterprising is concerned, in May 2007 he started his own business. Since then he says: "Moneymaking is a wonderful thing!”

You can say that his life has run at a very slow pace in the last four years, didn’t it? ;-)

George Nicolov (ExCom)

Recruitment Manager

George was born in the distant 1984. In December 2007 he obtained his MA degree in International Relations from the prestigious Sofia University Law School. He is now an MBA student at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. For more than three years, George has been working for the Sofia-based Centre for South-East European Studies, where he is in charge of a number of security-related projects. The organization of conferences for the Bulgarian Armed Forces is also part of his duties.

Currently, he is involved with the preparation of an Advanced Study Institute and an Advanced Research Workshop, both sponsored by NATO. As being a trainee in the Bulgaria Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George had the opportunity to gain experience in issues related to one of his major interests - the European Union. During a Young Leaders workshop, held in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, George had the chance to meet Paola and Dimiter. Later they were all involved in another project - “Young Leaders Promoting Bulgaria's New Security Policy” and had to travel all over the country to brief students on defense-related matters. It was a very exciting trip, full of both expected and unexpected thrills, where he first heard about the preparation of SOFIMUN and very much liked the idea to be part of it. That’s how George ended up as a Co-chair of the Conference on Disarmament of the 1-st edition of SOFIMUN, back in 2008.

George is interested in international relations and EU affairs in particular. He got interested in the UN and its functions from the very first class at university and even more after his first visit to the UN's headquarters in New York.

George adores traveling and never misses a chance to visit new countries and interesting places. Meeting new people is another passion of his... This passion ended up in having the place of the recruitment manager for SOFIMUN 2009.

Can't wait to see you all in July!

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

George Bernard Shaw

Ekaterina Papanova (Ex-com)

Public Relations manager

Born on Christmas in 1982. Ekaterina is finishing Masters in Slav literatures and languages at The Sofia University, Bulgaria. Her interest in languages occurred while graduating high-school and getting specialized in French and English. This interest continues now, divided between Croatian, Serbian and Slovenian (for easily contacting with more and more people of course). Part of those interests was her participation in two months program in The University of Zagreb, Croatia. Well experienced in marketing and promoting, currently Ekaterina is a person who can be seen on any significant concert or disco party in Sofia, due to her party character and work in Bulgaria’s first youth media "SvetU".

Ekaterina’s interests are highly multilateral, extended from automobile engines through world cultures and characters to Balkan postmodernism literature. She adores theatre, opera, cinema and music at all, but also never misses to discus or writes about important issues around regional problems, UN, Europe and Bulgaria, politics, religions, cultures. Good organizer, Ekaterina is very well acquainted with event management and useful places to go and see.

People who know her would give a significant meaning to the fact that she was born at the Bulgaria’s seaside, which obviously defines her friendly, cheerful character, always ready to meet new people, inventive, and also finds the right way to communicate with all types of people. There are two things she’s most proud of - coming from a very united family and still keeping close relations with her friends from childhood.

Ekaterina’s organizational and event skills and addiction to meet new people was the reason to join the ExCom of SOFIMUN, back in 2008, just a few minutes after hearing for it the first time, while spending quiet coffee afternoon with Paola and Dimiter. Now she’s a part of the organization to have the 2-nd edition of SOFIMUN as being responsible for the public relations.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, Dale Carnegie

Petko Popadiyski (ExCom)

IT manager

Born in the second largest Bulgarian city Plovdiv in 1983, Petko graduated applied mathematics. Since his early age he has been interested in the new technologies. Several years of working experience in IT companies gave him the confidence and the opportunity to travel and get to know better a couple of European countries. After that he took the decision that he needed a change and he found a way to live in Columbia (marvelous country by the way) for 9 months.

At ZAGIMUN, as part of the Human Rights Council in his first Model United Nations, he became really concerned on world issues and poverty. Looking forward helping people he took action in one of the biggest NGOs in South America - "Un techo para mi pais", building houses in some extremely poor neighborhoods in Medellin, Columbia. He has also been an active member of the ecological NGO "Green Balkans" and the largest international student organization AIESEC.

His broad range of interests starts from adventurous travels and extreme sports, goes through psychology and group dynamics and finishes at anything, which is crazy enough.

He is also looking forward to meeting you!

"Follow your dreams... except the one when you're at school in your underwear."

some clever mind

Martina Boyuklieva (Ex-com)

Secretary

Martina is born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1990. She is a senior in the American College of Sofia. She plans to continue her education in the spheres of Politics and Economics, either in UK or the Netherlands.

She began her MUN experience in 11th grade, being part of MUN club in her school. The next experience she had in this sphere was connected to SOFIMUN during its first edition in 2008 as part of the Security Council – an event that has a great impact on her in various ways. The atmosphere of MUN makes people really feel responsible for the society they live in and reach the realization that what makes for other people defines you as a person.

She is a charming person with incredibly realistic understanding of the world, which is supported by her wide general knowledge and strongly defending position of her opinion about any topic. She has very well developed communication skills, thus she serves as a valuable member of any community. Her only disadvantage is her strong moral beliefs, which sometimes work not in her favor.

In her free time she enjoys reading, watching movies, and hanging out. She is a member of one of Rotary's youth clubs in Sofia.

"Things aren't always going to be fair in the real world. That's just the way it is. But for the most part, you get what you give. The rest of your life is being shaped right now. With the dreams you chase. The choices you make. And the person you decide to be."

Petya Genova (Ex-com)

Member of Ex-com

Petya Genova was born in 1985 in Varna, the sea capital of Bulgaria. During her studies in a foreign languages High school she felt that even living in such a beautiful city, it was however too small for her.

Petya has Bachelor degree in Political Sciences in French and Public Administration from the New Bulgarian University in Sofia. She is currently finishing her Masters degree in European Interdisciplinary Studies, with a major in Governance in the EU at the College of Europe, Warsaw campus.

Her first UN model meeting was in 2007. During the same year she contributed to the organization of several of simulations in Sofia. Last year Petya was more than pleased to have the chance to be invited in the SOFIMUN 2008 as a member of the Secretariat! Taking into consideration that experience and her current living with people form all around Europe, Petya believes that the UN Models offer a great opportunity for young people to become more open-minded.

“The realization of the Second edition of SOFIMUN not only proves but also confirms that if young people are determined and persistent, they could easily gain theirs goals”

“Nothing happens unless first we dream”, Carl Sandburg

Secretariat

The secretariat of Sofia International Model United Nations. These are the chairpersons and the honorable Secretary-General. You can find more information about everyone of the secretariat and also you can enjoy interactive content that presents the members of the secretariat.

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Organizations

Here you can find information about the main organizations that are contributing Sofia International Model United Nations event happen. The organizations mentioned are the main supporters of the Sofia International Model United Nations idea in Bulgaria. They have been supporting it for a long time.

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