The second pilot workshop within the ITOSA project in Sofia was held on 17 January 2025 at the Regional Museum of Sofia, in collaboration with the Museum’s team. Eight senior participants took part in the event, which was facilitated by InterArt and supported by museum experts. The session focused on the theme ‘My Old Sofia’ and used storytelling as the main method.
The workshop started with a presentation of the ITOSA project and the theme of the meeting. Special guests included Dr. Karina Simeonova, manager of the ‘Old Buildings of Sofia’ project, and Dr. Iliana Borisova, the lead archaeologist of the excavation site. Participants were shown an exhibition of photos of Sofia from the 1930s to the present day and watched a short documentary about one of the historic houses. They were then invited to share their own memories, either through photos they had brought or images from the exhibition. This sparked lively discussions about how Sofia and its neighbourhoods had changed over the decades. Afterwards, Dr. Borisova guided the group through the archaeological exhibition, giving insight into the ancient city beneath Sofia. The visit continued with a free tour of the museum and an art exhibition by Vladimir Manski, which inspired further conversations about the city’s past. Feedback from participants was highly positive, many describing the event as engaging, emotional, and enriching.
Participants shared that the workshop inspired them to continue exploring their city’s past and to exchange personal stories linked to Sofia’s cultural heritage. Several of them expressed a wish to gather family members and friends to retell the memories triggered during the workshop, using old photographs as a starting point for conversations. The Regional Museum of Sofia also welcomed the idea of collecting more stories from seniors, which may contribute to their ongoing project about the history of old buildings in Sofia. In this way, the method creates a bridge between personal memory and public cultural heritage, ensuring lasting impact.