The 8th Workshop for Young Diplomats from the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Member States took place on 11–12 December 2025 at the BSEC Headquarters in Istanbul, bringing together early-career diplomats and representatives of international organisations to discuss project implementation, regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Black Sea region.

Titled “Building Tomorrow: Project Implementation for Sustainable Growth in the BSEC Region”, the workshop was organised by BSEC PERMIS. 

Discussions addressed themes such as project implementation for sustainable growth, policy coordination and governance frameworks, and youth dialogue on priorities for future BSEC initiatives. 

The REST-COAST project coordinator, Prof Agustín Sánchez Arcilla of UPC, participated online and primarily presented the project and its link to the Black Sea region through the Foros Bay pilot, which is situated in Burgas, Bulgaria. 

The programme brought together BSEC leadership and international expertise, with participation by Ms Rositsa Stoeva - National Coordinator of the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office and REST-COAST Steering Committee member, as well as several senior representatives from organisations, such as UN Tourism, UNDP, BSTDB, Euro-Mediterranean University, and ICBSS. 

These discussions highlighted the workshop’s objective of equipping the next generation of diplomats with practical knowledge, strategic insight and collaborative skills to contribute effectively to sustainable development and regional cooperation in the Black Sea region.