The 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was held in New Delhi, India, from 21 to 31 July 2024. It is the world’s largest international cultural event, involving all 193 member states of the United Nations. Minister of Culture Naiden Todorov represents the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Todorov, represented the Republic of Bulgaria as a member and Vice-Chair of the Committee for the period 2021-2025 and represented the Second Electoral Group (Eastern Europe) in the Bureau at the 46th session.
During the session in New Delhi Bulgaria organized a side event – two lectures were given – “History of the Centre for Underwater Archaeology – the Beginning” and “Underwater Archaeological Research in Bulgaria”, followed by round table discussions on the problems of conservation and research of underwater cultural heritage. Within the forum, as part of the accompanying event, a poster exhibition “Bulgarian Underwater Archaeology” was presented, prepared jointly by the Center for Underwater Archaeology, the Ministry of Culture, Nessebar Municipality and the National Commission of the Republic of Bulgaria for UNESCO.
A Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of research and conservation of underwater cultural heritage between the Republic of Bulgaria and Australia was signed at the international forum. The basis of this cooperation was laid in the implementation of the project “Urdoviza” – exploration of a wreck in the southern bay of the town of Urdoviza. The project is a project in the south of Kiten in which leading Australian archaeologists and conservators of finds from the marine environment are participating as volunteers for the third consecutive year. The research was organized by the Center for Underwater Archaeology and funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Institute for Ship Archaeology (USA).
Minister Nayden Todorov discussed with Ernesto Otone the application already sent to the Bulgarian Centre for Underwater Archaeology to be approved, developed and extended to a category 2 Centre for Underwater and World Heritage. The main objective is to establish the Centre as a leading factor in the study, conservation and promotion of the underwater and world cultural heritage in the Black Sea region and to successfully fulfil its task as a reliable partner of UNESCO.
In the coming months, UNESCO will conduct a study on Bulgaria’s readiness to establish a Black Sea Regional Centre for Underwater and World Heritage under the auspices of UNESCO, on the basis of which the final decision will be taken. Our country was the second in the world and the first in Europe to ratify the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2003 and the concept submitted is linked to the implementation of the strategy of the said Convention.
At his meeting with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Otone, Minister Todorov also discussed the progress of the plans to transform the island of St. St. St. Cyril and St. Juliet” into a global centre under the auspices of the world organisation. The conceptual design for the island also concerns the establishment of a material base for the Centre for Underwater Archaeology with space for exhibitions and expositions, laboratories and conservation premises, as well as an administrative building. The main building on the island – the “Fisherman’s School”, is scheduled for complete restoration and its transformation into a museum of Black Sea civilizations and cultures and underwater archaeology.
The two also discussed the work on the preparation of the Conservation and Management Plan of “Ancient Nessebar”, which should be fully ready by the end of 2024. After the meeting it was announced that the next UNESCO mission, which will focus on the underwater cultural heritage of Nessebar, will be held this autumn.
It was decided that the next session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2025. This is the largest international event in the field of culture and Bulgaria is given the exclusive privilege of hosting it. Then the work on the preparation of the Conservation and Management Plan of “Ancient Nessebar” will be considered and a final decision on the status of the World Heritage Site will be made. The threat to Nessebar is to move from the World Heritage List to the List of Cultural Heritage in Danger due to loss of identity.
The Bulgarian delegation in New Delhi included Persa-Anna Nakova – Head of the Cabinet of the Minister of Culture; Ambassador Nikolay Yankov (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka); Zornitsa Grekova, Secretary General of the National Commission of the Republic of Bulgaria for UNESCO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Head of the Bulgarian delegation; Ch. ace. Dr. Naiden Prahov, Director of the Center for Underwater Archaeology; Ch. ace. Dr. Kalin Dimitrov, representative of the Center for Underwater Archaeology and the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Dr. Aleta Guadelli, expert at the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage and representative of the Ministry of Culture (MC) in the World Heritage Committee; prof. Dr. Vladimir Vladimirov, Director of the Institute of Biodiversity and representative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in the World Heritage Committee; Mr. Miroslav Kalugerov, Director of the National Service for Nature Protection in the Ministry of Environment and Waters (MoEW); Ms. Mihaela Rabadjieva, Officer at the National Commission for UNESCO – Bulgaria; Ms. Tsvetelina Ivanova, Officer at the MoEW; Ms. Ars. Margarita Trendafilova, chief expert at MK; Nikoleta Marinova, chief expert at MK and arch. Milena Krachanova, external expert.