1-3 December 2010, Youth Center Shumen
Hosted by: Municipality of Shumen
Organizer: Association “Shining Dawn"

"Undiscovered, Beautiful Hopes" is a unique competition held every year only in Shumen. Its purpose is to give room to the full artistic expression of people with mental disabilities and through the power of art help with their integration into our society. Besides the role of a bridge to people with special needs, the competition is also a place for meetings and exchange of experiences among the professions working in social services. The idea is to stimulate further their efforts towards development of the capabilities and talents of social services. In this context, competition "undiscovered, beautiful Hopes" is a chance for specialized institutions to present their activity and achievements during the year resulting from hard work by social workers, psychologists, therapists and others.

HISTORY:
The first competition "Undiscovered, beautiful Hope" was held in 2007 as part of celebrations for December 3 - International day of people with disabilities. Initially, it included three homes for adults with mental disabilities from north-eastern Bulgaria. Gradually, this special event has grown and in 2010 it expanded to include more specialized social and educational institutions for people with mental disabilities - day-care centers for people with disabilities, homes and special schools.

FUTURE:
The existence of this event is an indicator of change in public attitude towards people with mental disabilities. It is a manifestation of the desire to build a modern society with permanently enshrined human values such as tolerance, respect for human dignity and the right to a full life for every person.
It is therefore particularly important this unique contest to continue and grow. This is a chance for more people with disabilities to participate more actively in public life, have more friends, experiences and opportunities for participation, which at this stage are limited.

FUNDING:
The organization of the competition "Undiscovered, Beautiful Hopes" is a civil society initiative that for the third consecutive year is funded by charity initiatives of Association “Shining Dawn” and donations from companies and citizens.
Experience shows that the inclusion of people outside the system of social care in the organisation of such events contributes to the change of public attitudes towards people with mental disabilities and to an appreciation of the talents and needs.