Plovdiv youth festival replaced by public discussion

Organizers of the HillUP Youth Fest in Plovdiv have announced a change in the event's format. Instead of the planned festival program, which included a water fight and DJ sets, the event will now consist of a public discussion titled ‘Where and how are young people?’.

The decision to pivot from a celebration to a discussion was made following significant public outcry. This response comes in the wake of recent tragic events at Youth Hill, where a 37-year-old man was killed by students.

The new format, organized by Youth House Plovdiv and the Youth Association for Peace and Development of the Balkans, aims to address the environments in which young people grow up, youth policies, prevention, and the responsibilities of institutions and society. The organizers stated that this is not a rejection of the original idea, but a reformation into a conversation to address issues such as aggression, risky behavior, and the need for supportive community spaces.