This paper will offer observations on the implementation of the educational practices of dialogic literary gathering and reading buddies at the 66th Philip Stanislavov School, Sofia, Bulgaria in the context of the REFUGE-ED project. It will offer case studies from different high school classes where refugee children, as well as children with mixed ethnic backgrounds (Turkish, Roma, Bulgarian), are taught, showing the course of the classes when applying these approaches. Some of the challenges to the processes will also be discussed, which in turn provide an opportunity to consider different approaches tailored to the different contextuality of each Bulgarian school.

The potential of these practices will also be revealed through discussions of classic works of Bulgarian and world literature that provoke young people to reflect on life through their own perspectives, interests and the cultural systems of their communities. Creating a greater awareness of others and understanding their similarities and differences culturally would have a positive effect on developing a more empathetic and reflective classroom that not only provides the necessary knowledge set out by the Bulgarian education system but also builds an understanding of common human values and the richness of cultural and religious perspectives in modern times.