The Extended 45th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was held in Riyadh from September 10 to 25, 2023. During the session, Bulgaria’s underwater heritage and the work of the Center for Underwater Archaeology were presented. The new documentary film created to showcase Bulgaria’s projects and achievements in underwater archaeology generated significant interest. Dr. Nayden Prahov, Director of the Center, spoke about the beginnings of underwater research in Bulgaria in 1921, the founding of the Center in 1978, its development over the following decades, and its current scientific achievements. Experience was shared in applying the most advanced methods for underwater archaeological research, along with ongoing international projects.
The Bulgarian participants in the forum also presented key cultural initiatives of the country, including the project for the establishment of a Center for Culture and Arts on Sts. Cyril and Julitta Island near Sozopol, as well as the creation of a Black Sea Center for Underwater Archaeology under the auspices of UNESCO. The session was attended by the Minister of Culture Krastyu Krastev, his Deputy Chavdar Georgiev, and Amelia Gesheva – Advisor to the Ministry of Culture, as well as representatives of the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, the National Commission for UNESCO – Bulgaria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Water, and the Center for Underwater Archaeology under the Ministry of Culture.
Within the framework of the 45th Session of the World Heritage Committee, Bulgaria achieved success in its mission to protect the Ancient City of Nessebar – UNESCO World Heritage Site – by extending its boundaries to include the surrounding waters where archaeological monuments have been discovered. The extension was proposed by Bulgaria and is the result of intensive research carried out by the Center for Underwater Archaeology in Sozopol since 2017. During these investigations, which continue the work of Professor Lyuba Ognenova from the 1980s, parts of the fortification walls and breakwaters of ancient Mesambria dating back to antiquity were discovered. Over the course of its centuries-long development, the city lost more than one-third of its territory due to rising sea levels. For this reason, significant archaeological structures are now located underwater.
Bulgaria was given a deadline to develop a Conservation and Management Plan for the Ancient City of Nessebar, along with other strategic documents that will ensure the preservation of the peninsula’s cultural, historical, and archaeological heritage, its surrounding waters, and the city’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.