Sofia Municipality (Sofia Development Association), in partnership with Sofia Municipal Privatisation and Investment Agency, NGO Links, “Imperia Online” and “Listen Up", organizes a series of public lectures to enhance the digital culture of citizens on the occasion of Europe Code Week. Every evening, in the period 18 to 21 October, on 1 Paris Street, from 17:00 to 19: 00 hrs., experts will try to reveal the secrets of coding in a comprehensible language. The main objective of the initiative is to develop participants’ skills in various areas requiring basic knowledge and experience in coding. Every evening there will be a different topic, but the participants can learn how to visualize boring data through interactive maps, whether it is possible to code simple applications, how to make a website, what “open data” means and how they can be used, what technologies behind a web-based game are.

The organizers recommend that those wishing to attend the public lectures bring their own laptops.

Europe Code Week started as a civic initiative to make coding much more visible, to show young people and adults how we can realize many ideas through coding, to enhance skills and to motivate many people to learn together. The initiative was launched in 2013. Last year, 570 000 citizens from countries in Europe and other continents participated in the coding training. In 2015, 7 594 events took place both in Europe and in Africa, the USA, Australia and Asia. Bulgaria is one of the 48 participating countries. The Code Week succeeded to attract many social networks fans, reaching more than 1 million users.

Programme

18 – 21 October, 1 Paris Street, 17:00 - 19:00 hrs.

The event has been registered on the official website of Europe Code Week: http://events.codeweek.eu/view/20127/europe-code-week-in-sofia/

„I am happy to support Europe Code Week for a third consecutive year, which is to be even more comprehensive this year. The great news is that this year, through the efforts of Sofia Municipality, Sofia will get involved more actively with open lectures that will improve the digital skills of the local residents of all ages. The new economic model in the EU, based on digital technology and innovation, suggests that future leaders must be armed with the skills to enable them to be flexible and adaptable in a dynamically changing economic environment. The skills - from basic computer literacy to coding - are the tools that will give the chance to the digital generation to represent successfully Bulgaria and Europe at the global level and to develop its potential in the 21st century”.

Eva Paunova, Member of the European Parliament and digital skills ambassador