We present the essay that won third prize in the RTIK competition

The year is 2040. The Rousse Chamber of Commerce and Industry is preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary. But Rousse is not the same - in two decades many things have changed...

Today our city is a fabulous place to live. It has nothing to do with Ruse from 2020. During these 20 years, its name has grown from Little Vienna to the Danube capital of Bulgaria, which is the work of us - many young active Ruthenians and RTIK. From a port of opportunity, we have transformed the Danube capital into a port of successful business ventures. From a city of free spirit, Ruse became a city of... Guess what? City of the entrepreneurial spirit!

But the city was not always what it is today.
At the time in 2020, when I wrote this letter to the future, Ruse was a typical Bulgarian town. The state economy was in a state of recession. The administration was not approved by the population, as a sign of which there were protests. And the coronavirus has taken us out of normal everyday life. However, alert citizens and RTIK did their best to rectify the situation. And they succeeded!

These leaders led the nation on the right path. They showed us how to turn to our personality and achieve what we want through the power of our mind. We have improved our quality of life, and therefore the quality of life of the city and the country. Because we realized that it is important to look for the answers within ourselves and not in external circumstances. Because we understood that it is important to act together, as one people, as one whole. This is where it all started. When we changed our way of thinking, we changed Bulgaria.

In these 20 years, everything has changed, thanks to RTIK and society. The economy took off. The standard of living improved. Thousands of Bulgarians from abroad returned to their native land. The young society chose to realize its potential in Bulgaria. Entrepreneurs have developed sustainable businesses that provide thousands of opportunities. The nation became more united. Bulgaria is reborn!

And Ruse? Everything started from the Danube capital.

How did we achieve it? Only by changing our views on life.
Rousse welcomes countless tourists, cruise ships and yachts. It enjoys an open border with neighboring Romania. Produces stylish clothes and organizes fashion shows. Ruse Airport has reopened its doors. The city of entrepreneurial spirit produces and uses innovative technologies. Electric cars and Motoretta electric scooters take care of the protection of clean air. We have become a center of innovation. But the most important thing is the people here. Because people make the city!
We at RTIK solemnly invite all Rusians to the special 150th anniversary of the organization, which will be held on November 8, 2040. Everyone is welcome! We will gather to celebrate all the achieved goals from 2020 to 2040. and to start the new ones. We will be waiting for you!

Your life begins when you decide to change it.

Yana Peneva, 16, PGIU "Elias Canetti"