ЗаВръщане в България's 2025 Recap and Direction for 2026

A year ago, we wrote that 2024 was the year we planted the seeds.

2025 taught us what it means to grow them.

It's not easy. It's not fast. And it definitely doesn't just poof into existence.

And yet, something is happening. In conversations, in events, in data. The topic of returning to Bulgaria is growing louder, and we are here to follow it closely.

Because returning (physically or "mentally") is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a bigger question: what is the potential of Bulgaria, and how can we, as citizens and a community, build it together? More and more people aren't waiting for someone else to act. They're coming back, staying, building, asking how they can contribute.

And those who choose to remain abroad haven't disappeared from the equation. The diaspora is engaged, curious, and connected. The bond with Bulgaria doesn't stop at the border, and we believe it shouldn't.

In this article, we share what we did in 2025, what we saw, what we learned, and where we're directing our energy in 2026.

In brief, here's what you'll find in this article:

• A note of gratitude

• ЗаВръщане в България: 2025 by the numbers

• Beyond the numbers: the conversation moved to a bigger stage

• What our newsletter subscribers told us

• What 2025 revealed - public attitudes and trends

• What we learned in 2025

• Our focus for 2026

• Behind the scenes - voices from our team

• How you can help

ЗаВръщане в България: 2025 in Numbers

For us, 2025 was a year of transition, lessons, and a leap in organizational growth. Here are some of the numbers that mattered to us:

Events and Presence

Throughout 2025, we developed a steady rhythm of presence and conversation:

• 30+ collaborations in Bulgaria and abroad, including in the USA, the Netherlands, and Serbia

  • 12 monthly events in Bulgaria

  • 1 meet-up event in Houston, TX

  • 15 public discussions and workshops in our "Градът Говори" series, held at festivals such as "Rivers of Sofia" and "Bedechka" in Stara Zagora

  • 1 summer volunteer retreat

  • 1 meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad

  • 1 participation in the event "Ancestral Citizenship in Motion" organized by the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam

  • 1 participation in a brainstorming session about Circular Migration, organized by Tačka povratka (Serbia)

Our formats gradually evolved from meetups into spaces for genuine connection and concrete ideas for action.

Community and Reach

• 4,600+ social media followers

• 1,770+ active newsletter subscribers

• 1,400+ active newsletter subscribers, of whom are based abroad

We are growing as a global community where the conversation about Bulgaria is not geographically limited.

The Return Survey

In 2025, we launched the first edition of the "Return Survey":

• 2,300+ participants

• 6 continents

• 11 partner organizations

The data collected will form the basis of a report as well as discussions and activities to promote public conversation on the topic of migration and return that affects all Bulgarians. This will show that the interest in the topic goes well beyond individual stories.

Beyond the Numbers: Our Conversation Moved to a Bigger Stage

Members of our community at our one-year anniversary celebration.

We worked with institutions, organizations, and businesses in Bulgaria and abroad.

The topic of returning and contributing to the development of Bulgarian society opened doors to conversations at many levels - from our monthly events and participation in "The Rivers of Sofia" with our "The City Speaks" /„Градът Говори" series, to a mentoring event at Innovation Station at the American University in Bulgaria in Blagoevgrad.

We also participated in broader formats, including an event connected to Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Hague, as well as a discussion with the Parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad. We maintained contact with the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad on topics related to the diaspora and the return process.

We were featured in Capital, appeared on Bloomberg, and were guests on various podcasts like the "Неуморимите" Podcast. The results of the State of Returning to Bulgaria survey sparked interest among partners both inside and outside the country.

What Our Newsletter Subscribers Told Us

Every month, we inform you about the latest news from ЗаВръщане в България: great events, innovative businesses, active organizations, and opportunities to get involved in meaningful projects and volunteering — plus a surprise!

Today, the newsletter reaches over 1,770 people.

We started sending it in June 2025. At the end of each issue, we asked for feedback. The average rating was 8/10 — thank you to everyone who writes to us and helps us improve.

You can subscribe to receive our newsletters here.

Beyond the rating, here's what they told us they'd like from us:

• An online space for connection

• More stories of people building meaningful lives in Bulgaria

• Resources and specialists for helping children readjust after returning

• A stronger connection with local communities

• Volunteer initiatives outside of Sofia

One reader from Montreal reminded us of something essential:

This is where much of the meaning of our work lies in building bridges between Bulgarians abroad, returnees, and Bulgarians in Bulgaria.

To support the process of (re)integration, not just through information and resources, but through community, gatherings, and space for meaningful conversation.

To create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to create value and work on things that contribute to the development of Bulgarian society.

This is at the heart of our work.

We heard you. In 2026, we will begin testing formats that respond to these needs.

What did 2025 show us?

Public attitudes in Bulgaria — an awakening toward return

It seems that public sentiment is gradually shifting.

1. More and more Bulgarians are gaining international experience, and the trend is moving away from isolated communities of diaspora, returnees, and those who've stayed in Bulgaria and moving towards a more active and connected civil and economic society.
   

2. More people see returning as a conscious choice, not a failure. It seems like everyone knows at least one person who has returned from abroad.
   

3. This positive trend holds in the statistical data as well. Recent data shows a shift in migration trends, with more Bulgarian citizens returning to the country than leaving. We are awaiting the official figures for 2025, which will give us an even clearer picture.

4. Our experience and work throughout the year showed us that the return itself is only the beginning. The real challenge is integration: finding an environment, creating opportunities, and building a sense of belonging, purpose, and fulfillment. This is where our work focuses, not just on the symbolism of returning (physically or mentally), but on the conditions for success afterward.

Institutions, Organizations, and Media

As we learned this year from partner international organizations, return migration is a relevant topic for all Balkan countries and is rarely a one-way destination.

The main discussion spans topics like emigration, immigration, circular-migration and return-migration.

Europe and America are increasingly felt not as foreign lands, but as living extensions of Bulgarian identity. For the first time in years, more Bulgarians are leaving Germany than arriving there.

The topic of return is important to numerous Bulgarian institutions and organizations, including the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad (EABA) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, as well as various NGOs - among them, “ЗаВръщане в България”. 

ЗаВръщане в България team - Anna-Maria Andreeva and Katherina Andreeva, together with volunteers Bogdan Rizov and Emanuil Iliev - was presented at a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad, at the invitation of Bulgaria Wants You. The meeting was an opportunity to present our work and discuss the needs of Bulgarians abroad who are considering a return to Bulgaria.

In this context, parliamentary speeches, campaigns, surveys, forums, festivals, and discussions were all part of our 2025.

The topic of returning to Bulgaria has also become increasingly prominent online. Podcasts featuring academics on YouTube and leading media outlets are amplifying the trend that more and more Bulgarians find meaning in returning despite existing challenges.

In our interview with Capital, we spoke extensively about this experience.

What We Learned in 2025

2025 gave us clarity.

1. There is a real need for space. Not just events, but an environment - physical, digital, and intellectual. Bulgarians at home and abroad are looking for a place to talk, exchange ideas, and connect around the question of how life, community, and impact can be built in Bulgaria.
   

2. Sustainability is a matter of choice. Until now, our activities have run primarily on volunteer labor and personal funding. This gave us freedom, but it has started to show its limits. We saw, for example, that we had to pause the podcast in order to redirect our energy toward other priorities, such as collecting data via our State of Return Survey. That's why in 2026, we are making a conscious decision to build a sustainable funding model to be able to consistently develop activities that deliver real value to both the community and the organization.
   

3. Interest in joining the team is growing. More and more people want to be part of the process. The challenge ahead of us is to create a clear framework in which this involvement is meaningful, sustainable, and beneficial - both for our team members and for the organization.
   

4. The diaspora isn't waiting to return before getting involved. This year, we saw clearly that there are people living outside Bulgaria who have no immediate plans to return, but who want to be part of the process. This was confirmed both by the State of Return Survey and by our conversations abroad.
   

5. Trust in partnerships requires clarity and time. Our most valuable partnerships began with conversation and mutual trust. But in 2025, we also learned something else: trust does not exclude structure and time; on the contrary, it requires both.

   
   

We are learning that all of this is preparing us for the next phase of the organization

Our Focus for 2026

2026 will be a year of focus.

Here's where we're directing our energy:

Community, connection, impact — We will continue to develop activities and formats to support the return process, connect Bulgarians, and engage people who believe in Bulgaria's potential. Follow us on Luma to receive notifications as soon as we publish a new event.

Organizational sustainability — We will build a working funding model so we no longer rely solely on personal resources. This is the necessary next step to continue doing increasingly impactful work.

The State of Return Report — On February 28th, we closed the first edition of the survey. A thorough analysis of the accumulated data follows, which we will turn into a public report and use as a tool to stimulate public conversation among Bulgarians abroad and in the country about returning to Bulgaria.

Growing and strengthening our team of volunteers — Improving cohesion and organization so we can be more consistent in the work of the organization.

Content and visibility — We are relaunching the Back2Bulgaria podcast, in which we tell real stories of people who have chosen Bulgaria and are building a life that has meaning here. We will also begin creating step-by-step resources that reduce the uncertainty around returning and make complex topics accessible and structured.

The ЗаВръщане в България Newsletter — We will continue to publish it every month and keep you informed about organizational developments, interesting events, and opportunities in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian diaspora. The goal is for it to become increasingly useful and relevant to your needs. You can subscribe here.

Behind the Scenes

Behind „ЗаВръщане в България“ is a group of people who voluntarily invest their time, skills, and energy to make these activities possible.

Here is what stood out most for them from 2025.

How You Can Help?

This organization grows thanks to the people who choose to be part of it. You can get involved in whichever way suits you best:

You can get involved in whatever way works best for you:

1. Support with a donation

2. Sign up for our newsletter

3. Come to an event

4. Become a volunteer

5. Become a partner

Every form of participation matters.

ЗаВръщане в България is a young organization. It is growing. And its next phase will be built together with you.

Until next time, ЗаВръщане в България Team