"We cannot escape from modern technologies, but we must think about how we can use artificial intelligence to improve the quality of education without losing human contact," said Mimi Nicheva, head of the Bulgarian Sunday School "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" at the Cultural and Educational Association "Buditeli" in Athens, Greece, in a special interview with Radio Bulgaria. The association, which is the first Bulgarian educational unit for studying the Bulgarian language and popularizing Bulgarian culture in the Greek capital, is organizing an international conference on the topic "Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Path to Innovative Teaching and Learning" on October 31 and November 1.

The aim of the event is to bring together teachers, experts and representatives of Bulgarian Sunday schools abroad to discuss the challenges in their work in the digital world and to exchange good practices on how technologies can be an assistant in the learning process, not an obstacle. The event is part of the festive program dedicated to November 1, the Day of the National Awakeners. Radio Bulgaria will cover the event and you can expect more information on our website.

Mimi Nicheva says that she has not yet encountered the negative manifestations of artificial intelligence, but on the contrary - she sees its positive sides.

"Artificial intelligence is already an integral part of our lives and is changing the way we work, communicate and learn. Education must be prepared for this change and find a balance between technological capabilities and the human approach to teaching. We believe that now is the time to talk about how AI can support both teachers and students, without displacing the human factor," she says.

During the current school year, there are more than 270 children in the Bulgarian Sunday school in Athens, for whom an in-person and distance learning form is provided, as well as classes for children who do not speak Bulgarian. What is new this year is that Mimi Nicheva's team will offer free consultations to help students from 1st to 12th grade in subjects studied in Greek schools such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. What necessitates such a measure and do we realize how and whether Bulgarian school-age children cope with adaptation in a foreign language environment is a question to which the answer is being sought daily. This is also one of the problems that will probably be discussed with the representatives of the Parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad, who will attend the celebrations on the occasion of November 1 in the Bulgarian Sunday School "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" in Athens and will participate in a working meeting with our compatriots there, we learn from Nicheva.

"We must not forget that the Bulgarian community in Greece is numerous and active, but like any emigrant community it faces its challenges. One of the main ones is related to education and the preservation of the Bulgarian language and identity. Children study in Greek schools, the Bulgarian language often remains in the background if parents do not manage to devote time to lessons in Sunday schools. Another problem is the language and cultural adaptation - for some families it is difficult, especially when children have to adapt to a new environment. There are also economic difficulties - parents work a lot, often in two places, which limits their time for children and for taking them to Sunday school."

Bulgarian Sunday schools, such as the one in Athens, need constant institutional support in order to be able to provide high-level education and be a spiritual center of the community, Mimi Nicheva says. This is because the connection with Bulgaria is always there, in the hearts of those who left the country.

• Bulgarian Sunday school Saints Cyril and Methodius in Athens celebrates 20th anniversary

Author: Vesela Krasteva

Publication in English: Al. Markov

Photos: Sts. Cyril and Methodius School in Athens, Pixabay