Silviya Nitsova

Silviya Nitsova holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Leiden University, the Netherlands, and a Bachelor’s degree in European Studies from Sofia University, Bulgaria. During her four years of experience with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and specializations at the European Commission and European Parliament, she has developed substantial professional expertise in the field of European Union foreign policy, democratic transitions and human rights. She has observed elections in Armenia, Albania, Ukraine, and Tajikistan with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR), volunteered as an independent election observer domestically, and organized elections abroad with the Bulgarian foreign ministry.

Upon completion of the Rotary Peace Fellowship program and MA in Global Studies, Silviya intends to contribute to international efforts to achieve sustainable peace in countries in transition. She would like to become engaged in the development and implementation of policies and trainings on electoral processes, including election observation and electoral assistance, political campaigns, youth political participation, and participation of women and national minorities. Additionally, she wants to work with civil society organizations and policy makers on constitution building and institutional reform.