The workshop, organized by the NEA in close cooperation with the Romanian Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Agency (ANDR), brought together 40 students from Romania, Bulgaria, and Canada, who worked alongside national and international mentors from government, industry, academia, and international organizations.
At the invitation of the Romanian Agency, SERAW took part in the international workshop by organizing and supporting the participation of five Bulgarian students nominated by the three secondary schools in Kozloduy—Rosenka Paisieva, Teodora Ivanova, Nikol Nikolova, Neli Stankova, and Boryana Guneva—accompanied by English language teachers Elka Stankova from Hristo Botev Secondary School and Vladislava Viktorova from St. St. Cyril and Methodius Secondary School.
The Bulgarian representatives received well-deserved applause for their well-structured presentation, which showcased a part of Bulgarian traditions and the country’s ethnographic regions, with an emphasis on the Northwestern region where Bulgaria’s nuclear facilities are located. It also highlighted the role of the bee as a natural indicator of a clean environment and the Honey Festival as a symbol of SERAW’s commitment to humanity, nature, and heritage. Through the symbol of the bee, the Bulgarian presentation demonstrated that nuclear technologies and environmental care can coexist in harmony. In the context of women’s involvement in STEM and the nuclear sector, some of the enterprise’s activities and public awareness initiatives were also presented to the international community.
During the four days of the workshop, the participants worked at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA, the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, and visited a number of significant scientific and cultural sites.
As part of the workshop, the participants visited the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility in Măgurele, where they explored cutting-edge scientific research and state-of-the-art laser technologies. In Bucharest, the program continued with motivational speeches, mentoring presentations, and interactive discussions in small groups. The third day was dedicated to leadership, featuring thematic discussions, leadership activities, student presentations, and a formal certificate award ceremony. The workshop concluded with a technical visit to the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, providing the participants with direct exposure to nuclear operations, safety culture, and engineering professions.
The speakers and mentors at the workshop included distinguished international authorities, among whom William D. Magwood, IV – Director-General of the NEA, Rumina Velshi – Co-Chair of the workshop and former President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, as well as representatives of the IAEA, CNSC, CNCAN, RATEN ICN, IFIN-HH, and WHO Romania. A special video address to the participants was made by Hélène Langevin-Joliot – a distinguished nuclear physicist and granddaughter of Marie Skłodowska-Curie.

For the seventeenth consecutive year, SERAW brought together producers, artisans and visitors at the Honey Festival in Kozloduy. The two-day event, held on 27–28 February 2026 at the enterprise’s Information Centre, recorded a record number of participants. A total of 48 producers of honey and bee products from the region and neighbouring areas with traditions in beekeeping, along with representatives of Bulgarian crafts and applied arts, took part in the exhibition and tasting events. Among them were eight debut participants, presenting their products to festival visitors for the first time.

This year’s edition also brought an important recognition: the Honey Festival was officially presented as SE RAW’s Knowledge Product* for 2025, published on the website of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. This marks another step in systematising and sharing the enterprise’s unique experience with other EU Member States in the field of safe decommissioning and radioactive waste management.

Elisaveta Mladenova, Deputy Executive Director for Finance, Administration and Security at SERAW, explained the symbolism of the event:

“The event is called the Honey Festival because it celebrates both the joy of the results achieved through the participants’ work, perseverance and creativity, and the connection between people and nature.”

This connection lies at the heart of the long-standing initiative: bees are a living indicator of a clean environment, while the honey produced in the Kozloduy region stands as a powerful testament that technology and nature can coexist in harmony.

The festival’s accompanying programme featured a series of meetings and presentations that attracted both professionals and curious visitors. Borislav Bumov from Lovech, holder of the title Beekeeper of the Year – 2024, shared insights into the intricacies of queen bee production. Anna Ivanova from Tryavna immersed the audience in the topic of the “secret ingredient” behind both products and life itself, while Manuela Nikolova from Troyan spoke about the home as the foundation of a healthy lifestyle and the role of natural materials in construction.

On both days of the festival, the youngest visitors had the opportunity to participate in creative workshops. Manuela Nikolova challenged them to weave their own Martenitsa bracelets, while Stanimir Nikolov demonstrated the magic of woodturning on a training wood lathe. A special interactive game for all visitors, titled “Like the Little Bees”, also became an entertaining challenge for many of the guests.

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*About the Knowledge Product

In accordance with Council Regulation (Euratom) 2021/100 of 25 January 2021, SE RAW, in cooperation with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, systematises its unique experience in specific areas of its activities and presents it in the form of a Knowledge Product.

The overall objective of the Kozloduy Programme is to support Bulgaria in addressing safety-related challenges associated with the decommissioning of Units 1–4 of Kozloduy NPP, while also increasing the added value for the European Union through the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of all Member States.

Over the two days – Friday and Saturday – visitors will be able to enjoy:

•    Exhibition and tasting of polyfloral honey and bee products

•    Medicinal and cosmetic products based on bee ingredients, crafted with care and attention

•    Collections of artistic items inspired by traditional Bulgarian crafts

Special highlight of the Saturday accompanying programme – meetings, presentations and inspiration.

On 28 February, a rich programme awaits curious minds of all ages:

•    11:00 – “Queen Bee Production” with Borislav Bumov from Lovech, winner of the “Beekeeper of the Year – 2024” title

•    13:00 – “The Secret Spice of Products and … of Life” with Anna Ivanova from Tryavna

•    14:00 – “The Home as the Foundation of a Healthy Life – Natural Materials in Construction” with Manuela Nikolova from Troyan

•    15:00 – “SE RAW – National Operator for Radioactive Waste Management” – presentation on the mission and activities of the enterprise

Creativity and games for the youngest guests

On both days of the festival, children will be able to take part in creative workshops:

•    “Let’s Weave a Martenitsa” – with Manuela Nikolova

•    “The Magic of Woodturning” – training sessions on a practice wood lathe with Stanimir Nikolov from Kozloduy

A special game with a grand prize has also been prepared for all visitors – “Like the Little Bees”!

Date:

27 February (Friday) – 11:30 – 18:00

28 February (Saturday) – 9:00 – 16:00

Venue:

SE RAW Information Centre

2A V. Vodenicharski St.

Join us to share the sweet taste of traditions, dedicated work, and pure nature.

The Honey Festival is organized by SE RAW with the support of the beekeeping associations from the Kozloduy region, bringing together craftsmen, beekeepers, artists, and everyone who values nature and its gifts.

Because we all know:

Bees are a natural indicator of a clean environment.

On 14 October 2025, the Information Centre for Decommissioning of State Enterprise Radioactive Waste welcomed journalists covering energy field topics from national and regional media outlets within the framework of a two-day training seminar organized by the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency. The Chief Engineer of Specialized Division National Disposal Facility, Ira Stefanova, introduced the media representatives in detail to the current status and background of the project for construction of the National Disposal Facility for Low- and Intermediate-level Radioactive Waste. The main interest of the media was primarily focused on topics related to the deadlines for commissioning of the facility, as well as the amount of funding and project funding sources. For the sake of comprehensiveness, the SERAW Executive Director, Dilyan Petrov, and representatives of the Enterprise’s management, also joined the discussion.
After being introduced clarity into the licensing procedure and current issues and solutions, the journalists visited Radiana site and had the opportunity to witness a demonstration of a remotely controlled operation of moving a reinforced concrete container for radioactive waste using the SCADA management and control system, which will be used to arrange the RAW packages in the disposal facility. They also closely examined in-situ the disposal cells, the mobile roofs and the Auxiliary Buildings of the National Disposal Facility.

The Danube Day’ is annually celebrated on 29th June – the date on which the international Danube River Protection Convention was signed by eleven countries and the European Community. The mission of the initiative is to draw attention to the protection of the river and its tributaries. The Day of one of the largest riverine ecosystems in Europe, of people and wildlife located in its region, was first celebrated in 2004.