First Marketplace in Veliko Tarnovo, Tulip Foundation

First Marketplace in Veliko Tarnovo, 30 May 2012 The first marketplace in Veliko Tarnovo took place on 30 May 2012 in the Ritual Hall of Veliko Tarnovo municipality. The aim of the marketplace was to meet the needs and interests of local civil organizations and local business. As usual there was one and only rule at the marketplace – money is taboo and is not discussed.

Snejana Daneva, Deputy Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo Municipality and Maria Petkova, Director of Tulip Foundation, greeted the participants and announced the start of the marketplace with the traditional gong. As a result of active conversations, meetings and contacts among participants - representatives of 10 civil organizations and local business a total of 38 deals have been signed that if financially calculated they would exceed 20 000 BGN.

The company, who left the event with a highest number of deals, was Intelekti - 7 deals with different civil organizations. Maria Center, Gorna Oriahovitsa and Center for community support at SOS Children's Villages were the organizations that signed highest number of deals from the civil sector. Click on the image to view it larger. The marketplace was organized by Tulip Foundation with the support of Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe and Interamerican Insurance Company. All participants contributed to the successful marketplace realization by organizing the event following the main marketplace principles – everyone to participate with something concrete. Tulip Foundation thanks all civil and business organizations that participated in the marketplace, Veliko Tarnovo municipality and all volunteers – Stanislav Dobrev – notary of the marketplace; Violeta Belcheva – marketplace broker; Martin Kojuharov – photograph; AIESEC Veliko Tarnovo; all team of Interamerican Insurance Company Veliko Tarnovo that were marketplace ambassadors and active participants in it; young volunteers from Maria Center, Gorna Oriahovitsa and OKSAB, Gorna Orqhovitsa. At the end of the marketplace representatives of business, civic organizations and municipality shared their satisfaction of the results and declare that they want the marketplace to become a traditional event in their town.