Academic competition “Euro Challenge” held in Ottawa on February 27, 2026
17 March 2026 News
On February 27, 2026 an academic competition “Euro Challenge” was held in Ottawa among the students in grades 9-10 from the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board schools (OCDSB).
The “Euro Challenge” initiative was launched under the auspices of the EU Delegation in Ottawa in 2024 as a pilot project aiming to deepen students’ knowledge of the European Union, the Eurozone and the main economic challenges facing the EU member states. The competition involved several teams, each choosing which EU country to represent, as well as the topic of their presentation from several pre-selected topics. This year 6 teams joined the competition covering the following countries and topics:
Bulgaria – “Inequality, Social Mobility, and the Gender Gap”;
France – “Demographics and Aging Population”;
Germany – “AI and the Labour Market”;
Greece – “Inequality, Social Mobility and the Gender Gap”;
Greece – “Demographics and Aging Population”;
Latvia – “Inequality, Social Mobility and the Gender Gap”.
The EU Embassies in Ottawa were encouraged to mentor the teams and help them prepare for the debates. The Bulgarian Embassy was represented by Ms. Lyubomira Georgieva, Counsellor, who mentored the team representing Bulgaria.
During the competition the students presented the results of their research, analysis and recommendations for addressing the challenges facing the country of their choice. The debates were monitored and evaluated by representatives of the EU Delegation in Ottawa, as well as by professors from the University of Ottawa and the Carleton University.
We are pleased to inform that the team representing Bulgaria won the first place of the competition – a result of the students’ diligent preparation and presentation as well as the kind mentorship support received by the Bulgarian Embassy in Ottawa!
The team representing Bulgaria was awarded vouchers for academic and sports equipment, a cup and a diploma. The awards were presented personally by the Secretary General of the EEAS Ms. Belén Martínez Carbonell and by the EU Ambassador to Canada Ms. Genevieve Toots.
The 2026 edition of the “Euro Challenge” competition was assessed as a great success. It also marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the EU representation in Canada.
The EU Delegation expressed special gratitude to the Bulgarian Embassy in Ottawa for its active engagement during the preparatory phase and the very day of the academic competition.