An International Organization of Young Leaders

The Search of Future Ideas, Models Us Now

Mr. Dimiter Mandradjiev

Executive Director of the SOFIMUN Foundation

mandradjiev@sofimun.org

Dimiter Mandradjiev is born in Sofia city, Bulgaria in 1986 and a month later he moved to sunny Cairo, Egypt for 3 years. His primary education was in the Baghdad International School under UN guidance in Baghdad, Iraq. He graduated the prestigious 35-th language high-school "Dobri Voinikov" in Sofia, Bulgaria.

He has an excellent bachelor degree in International relations program from New Bulgarian University in Sofia. His bachelor dissertation is a successful one with a thesis on the topic "Tendencies in the politics of the Arab States Towards the European Union". During his second and third years of studies he was awarded with scholarships for excellent grades. Later he also successfully graduates the Master program "International Business" at the same university with an excellent master degree. His MA thesis is on the topic "The Role of the United Nations Organisation in the Process of Regulating the International Economic Relations".

One of Dimiter’s main commitments is in trying to build a better deal for Bulgarian citizens. The membership in various organizations like The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, founder and chairman of the national union "Treasure the Bulgarian Heritage", co-founder and Executive director of the SOFIMUN foundation are only part of his activities related at NGO level. He tries to make a difference in other organizations such as being member of Rotary Club Sofia International (charitable activities). Manages his own communication group company SVETU Ltd.

Dimiter became addicted to MUNs in Vienna in 2007. Since then – 3 ZAGIMUNs, THESSISMUN, UNISCA, NAPOMUN; chaired MOSTIMUN, ZAGIMUN, MUNUSAL, GIMUN, BISMUN, MILMUN and other MUN events – national and international – was SG of BISMUN 2011 and is working on a couple of other MUNs yet to come. The aftermath says: around 30 MUNs. He feels the spirit of MUNs defiantly coincide with his ideals to make things better – a problem solver.

Ms. Polina Goranova

Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the SOFIMUN Foundation

goranova@sofimun.org

Born and raised in Bulgaria, Polina is currently finishing her Master Degree in Entrepreneurship at Amsterdam University. Her educational background also includes economics and computer technology.

Polina got the "MUN virus" about 2 years ago when she participated at UNISCA conference as a Chairperson at the Security Council. GIMUN and TEIMUN quickly followed the same year. Back in 2007 she considered the idea for organizing the first Model United Nations conference in Bulgaria as one of the most exciting initiatives she had ever undertaken. It did not take long to Paola, Dimiter and her to start real preparation for their common goal. Thanks to their entrepreneurial pro-activeness to create this exciting member of the MUN's family now in 2009 the 2-nd edition is under way.

Polina's friends say they like working with her because of the constant positive energy she has and her open-minded personality that helps innovation to prevail.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

Mr. Boris Tassev

Administrative Director of the SOFIMUN Foundation

boris.tassev@sofimun.org

Boris Tassev is born on December 29th 1984 in Sofia. Considers himself lucky to have graduated form one of the top high schools in Bulgaria – the First English Language School (FELS). In 2000 he got accepted in Middlesex School of Concord New Hampshire, but he chose to stay in Bulgaria. After four years in FELS, he got accepted at Bard College in NY, Annandale-on-Hudson, back then one of the top 20 Colleges and one of the most expensive ones on a Distinguished Scientist Scholarship for Natural Sciences and Mathematics, which allowed him to stay in the United States for a little bit more than four years.

In the mean time his interests shifted in a new direction. After exploring Mathematics and Computer Science for a year and a half he got introduced to the world of Economics. At that time he moderated for the Department of Economics of Bard College part of the Levy Economic Institute. From that point he delved in the field of Applied Macroeconomics and Finance, exploring the United States financial market and ending his academic work with a year long Senior Project exploring the booming housing crisis in the world focusing primarily on Bulgaria. In the mean time he gained experience in micromanaging in several IT companies in NY.

Currently Boris is back in Bulgaria managing a family company dealing with import of luxury goods and is a member of Rotaract Club Sofia International, where he whishes to have the opportunity to make a difference for the Bulgarian society.

Boris enjoys traveling around the world and meeting new people. His passion is the piano and he enjoys making conversations with it. His latest passion is dancing and he devotes quite some time to it.

Mr. Andrey Stoichev

Fundraising specialist of the SOFIMUN Foundation

andrey.stoichev@sofimun.org

His life revolves around three things: politics, private enterprising and the preservation of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage.

Since 2005 he is a campaign manager, well it’s plain to see what it’s about, managing election campaigns. Sometimes and especially after the fifth one in a row he thinks that he is not managing it, but it’s the other way around. As soon as the elections are over, he and his colleagues from the department of political sciences at the New Bulgarian University, bang there heads at the question "Why people keep making the wrong choices time and time again?”. He and his friends are convinced that there is a world conspiracy aimed at rendering logic and reason worthless and to turn the conscious choice, which the voting is, into unconscious one.

From December 2006 he has gained interest in another area - the preservation and promotion of Bulgaria’s culture and heritage. So he and some friends started an NGO called National Union "Treasure the Bulgarian Heritage".

As far as private enterprising is concerned, in May 2007 he started his own business. Since then he says: "Moneymaking is a wonderful thing!”

You can say that his life has run at a very slow pace in the last four years, didn’t it? ;-)

Ms. Victoire Rio

Regional Cooperation (Western Europe) of the SOFIMUN Foundation

victoire.rio@sofimun.org

Born in Paris, Victoire got the traveling bug early on and left the city of love to discover the world. After a year in high school in the United States, she never stopped moving. She went to study in England, then again in the United States, then England, with a lot of travels in between. Difficult to keep track! Holding a bachelor in politics and international relations, and having written her dissertation on Bosnia Herzegovina, she decided to move to BiH to discover a place she had spent so many late hours reading about.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

Ms. Irina Botea

Regional Cooperation (Balkans) of the SOFIMUN Foundation

irina.botea@sofimun.org

Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, Irina likes to think about herself as being a very lucky and some would also add courageous person. Taking life as it comes and accepting all its challenges is the way she got to live a pretty busy life for 22 years. Being a students representative three years in a row, Member of her Faculty’s Council and editor-in-chief for the department’s magazine, Irina tried to be an active member of her community and set an example for the others. After graduating in International Relations and European Studies at the University of Bucharest, Irina is currently finishing her masters in European Studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, in Belgium.

In 2008 she ended up, by chance, at her first Model UN where she got contaminated almost immediately with the so called MUN virus. Besides the intense debates, the main triggers for the virus were the wonderful people she met there and which now she feels honored to call them “friends”.

Several conferences later she thought it would be appropriate to give something back to the MUN community since she received so much from it. Spreading the MUN values around the world may sound impossible but with a bit of perseverance, determination and a wonderful team besides her, she believes we can achieve anything.

“And if home is really where the heart is then we're the smartest kids I know because wherever we are in this great big world we'll never be more than a few hours from home” Kimya Dawson

Mr. Amir El Meligy

Regional Cooperation (Middle East) of the SOFIMUN Foundation

amir.elmeligy@sofimun.org

Egyptian at heart, Mediterranean at everything, Amir taken part in student activities and programs with all kind of diversities and mentalities, and he’s always up to new experiences and new ways of life, cultures, and perspectives, that's why he chooses to take part in Model United Nations programs around the world (11 so far), really appreciating gaining a more broad perspective.

Amir studied and possess experience in commerce with all its subfields, finance, economics, business administration, political sciences with all its subfields, international law, international relations, and historical backgrounds and culture exchange, which – with this kind of experience – made him realize the importance of working with diversities, and the importance of being exposed to different cultures, in developing one’s mentality, tolerance and openness to new frontiers.

Most of Amir’s efforts are focused on being more open to more cultures and ways of thinking, and although Arabic is his native language, he’s studying in English since 5 years old, and been to Victoria College English school since Grade 1, which made his English skills almost native. Being involved in international conferences, student activities and model united nations programs in English for a long period of time, also contributed, in addition to designing websites in English and working as a public relations officer dealing with foreign correspondents.

Ms. Petia Genova

EU Relations

petya.genova@sofimun.org

Petya Genova was born in 1985 in Varna, the sea capital of Bulgaria. During her studies in a foreign languages High school she felt that even living in such a beautiful city, it was however too small for her.

Petya has Bachelor degree in Political Sciences in French and Public Administration from the New Bulgarian University in Sofia. She is currently finishing her Masters degree in European Interdisciplinary Studies, with a major in Governance in the EU at the College of Europe, Warsaw campus.

Her first UN model meeting was in 2007. During the same year she contributed to the organization of several of simulations in Sofia. Last year Petya was more than pleased to have the chance to be invited in the SOFIMUN 2008 as a member of the Secretariat! Taking into consideration that experience and her current living with people form all around Europe, Petya believes that the UN Models offer a great opportunity for young people to become more open-minded.

“The realization of the Second edition of SOFIMUN not only proves but also confirms that if young people are determined and persistent, they could easily gain theirs goals”

“Nothing happens unless first we dream”, Carl Sandburg

Ms. Martina Boyuklieva

Manager of the Members of the SOFIMUN Foundation

martina.boyuklieva@sofimun.org

City, Country of Origin: Sofia, Bulgaria

City, Country of Permanent Residence: Sofia, Bulgaria

University: University College Utrecht , The Netherlands

Degree:

- Bulgarian diploma for high school (American college of Sofia – obtained)

- American diploma for high school (American college of Sofia – obtained)

- Bachelor of Arts - Social Sciences: Law, Politics, Economics ( UCU – current)

MUN experience:

- MUN club in the American College of Sofia – participated there for 2 years

- SOFIMUN 2008 (Sofia, Bulgaria) - delegate of Costa Rica in Security Council

- National MUN (Sofia, Bulgaria) – delegate of Great Britain in Human Rights Council

- MOSTIMUN 2009 ( Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina)– delegate of Great Britain in Human Rights Council

- SOFIMUN 2009 (Sofia, Bulgaria) – part of the Executive committee (The Secretary)

- UNISUN 2010( Utrecht, The Netherlands) – part of the Executive committee ( part of the Academic Team)

Languages: Bulgarian, English

Additional activities: Member of Rotaract Club Sofia International ( Sofia, Bulgaria)

Favorite Quote: “You have a responsibility belonging to the family of nations. We all have a responsibility: we are in the same boat “. ( Boutros Boutros- Ghali )

Mr. Milen Christov

Conference Manager of the SOFIMUN Foundation

milen.christov@sofimun.org

Milen Christov is born in 30 of January 1994 in Sofia. He is very interested in sports since little, so he used to play basketball for the Bulgarian’s police team and also the champion of Bulgaria Lukoil Academic. He is skiing for 15 years, but in 2009 he got to know with NGO. He first became a member “Bulgarian’s Children and Youth Parliament” and in the next years continue by participating club “Economist”, club "Investor" and formed the student council in the National Business and Finance High School.

From 2011 proudly participated in Rotary International youths programme Interact, as a charter president and co-founder of the first community based Interact Club in Sofia – “Sredets”. Where organized and participate in a lot of projects such as the fourth SOFIMUN conference and the First National Simulation of the Bulgarian Parliament.

By now only 3 years after started working in the youth policies sphere he has been participating in the 69th International EYP session and worked with the “Youth In Action” programmee. At the age of 18 he was one of the youngest members of the team and he managed the Social and Culture events in the 5th SOFIMUN conference. Currently he has taken on the responsibility to be the official conference manager of the SOFIMUN Foundation.

In his free time he is practicing his hobbies such as traveling, finding new places or skiing all around Europe and meeting new people.