The
International Center for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations (IMIR)
was founded in April 1992 in cooperation with the Center for the Study of
Islam and Christian – Muslim Relations (CSIC), Birmingham, UK and
the Center for Research in Ethnic Relations (CRER), Warwick, UK. The Center
later extended its international activities through Centre d’Etudes
et de Recherches Internationales (Center for International Studies and Research,
CERI), France.
IMIR is a private, non-political, non-profit and non-governmental organization, studying the relations and the interaction between different cultures, ethnoses and religions in Southeastern Europe in order to help the development, preservation and integration of all minority communities.
IMIR’s activities are directed at minority communities and cooperation with their civil societies, cultural centers, and media, as well as at partnerships with local governments, educational organizations and cultural institutions.
Leader of the research team. Ph.D. in History. A historian and anthropologist studying the Balkan countries and the Balkan minorities. She worked as a research associate at the Institute for Balkan Studies with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, as well as advisor to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria on the Ethnic and Religious Issues in 1990-1993. Since 1993 she has been the Head of the Board of Directors of the International Center for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations. Author of 14 books, a great number of articles, reviews, reports and lectures. Since 2000 she has been a Consultant to the World Bank as an Ethnic Issue Specialist on the Child Welfare Reform Project, Consultant to the EU Accession Monitoring Program, Consultant to ethnic issues on the UNDP monthly early warning reports for Bulgaria. Author of the 'Urgent Anthropology' method.
M.A. in Linguistics. Graduated from the University of Sofia with Master degree in English and Russian Philology. Has worked as Head of International Relations Department in the National Center for Professional Development, Head of 'Coordination of Projects and Programmes Department' in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. Has worked in a number of international projects implemented by the Bulgarian Government, ILO-Geneva, UNDP, UNIDO. In 1997 she was a coordinator of the National Programme for Social Development promoted by UNDP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. Current position - IMIR Programme Director. National coordinator of the RITU project.
Ph.D.
in Social and Management Psychology. He graduated from the Moscow State University
"Lomonossov", Department of Psychology. In 1991-1992 studied in
the Oxford University, UK, Social and Management Psychology obtaining an Oxford
certificate for study and research in sociological research. Deals with qualitative
and quantitative research; Over 100 surveys and reports on socio-economic
issues of the Bulgarian transition to market economy and civil society; National
coordinator of the UNDP Human Development Reports for 2002-2003, and for 2001.
At present he is Director of the Agency for Socioeconomic Analyses (A.S.A.)
dealing with social research and statistics.
Ph.D. in History. Research activities in Bulgarian modern history; history of political institutions; history of ethnic and religious minorities; gender studies. Surveys on 'Minority and Religious Policy in the Eastern Roumelia 1879-1885' and 'The State Policy towards National and Religious Minorities in Principality of Bulgaria 1879-1885' . Author of the book 'University Education and the Bulgarian Women 1878-1944'. Current position - teacher in History in a High School. Took part in the writing of the historical part of the draft report in WP1 of the RITU.
Graduated from the Sofia University as Master in Philosophy and Psychology. Ph.D. in Economics, thesis defended in the Academy of Labour, Moscow. Key qualifications in Research, Consultancy and Training on: Trade Union movement, Industrial Relations; Labour Market, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, and Organizing. Current position - research associate and scientific secretary in the Institute for Trade Union and Social Research at the Confederation of the Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria being responsible for the research projects of the Institute. Author of many articles on the Bulgarian Trade Union movement. Took part in the writing of the Draft report in WP1 of the RITU.
Master in Law, Graduated from the Sofia University, Faculty of Law. During 1997 – 1998 specialized in the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary in the Legal Studies Department; LLM Degree in Comparative Constitutional Law (including three months of research in Emory University; Atlanta, Georgia, the USA); Researcher in a project carrying out a comparative research on the European minorities’ status and in the 'Legal Help and Litigation' project as a coordinator for Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights Foundation (BLHR). Part-time assistant in Bulgarian Helsinki Committee’s Legal Program Projects (BHC).
Took part in the writing of the juridical part of the RITU WP1.
