The team of the Centre for Underwater Archaeology (CUA) participated in the international conference “New Challenges for Underwater Nature and Cultural Heritage Tourism during the Ocean Decade,” organised by the UNESCO UNITWIN Network for Underwater Archaeology and the UNESCO Chair in Maritime and Coastal Archaeology (MoMArch) at Aix-Marseille University. The event took place in Aix-en-Provence, France, from 29 January to 1 February 2026, as part of global efforts to promote the sustainable development of tourism practices related to marine natural and cultural resources.
The conference brought together scholars, practitioners, cultural heritage management experts, and community leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities of sustainable tourism combined with the protection of underwater natural and cultural sites, within the framework of the United Nations Ocean Decade Programme. The discussions focused on topics such as accessibility and sustainable cultural tourism, the impact of climate change, innovative technologies for monitoring and protection, as well as education and capacity-building for the next generation of specialists.
During the conference, the CUA team contributed with three presentations:
Dr. Zornitsa Grekova delivered a paper entitled “Navigating Disputed Waters: Comparative Analysis of Maritime Sovereignty Challenges, Borders, and Joint Initiatives in Underwater Cultural Heritage Tourism – Black Sea vs. Maritime Southeast Asia,” analysing the challenges of managing underwater cultural tourism in regions marked by geopolitical and environmental constraints, through a comparative perspective between the Black Sea and Maritime Southeast Asia.
Ivelina Petkova presented “The Negative Impact of Human Activities and Climate Change on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Case Studies from the Bulgarian Black Sea Littoral,” highlighting the effects of climate change and human activities on vulnerable underwater archaeological sites along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Zhelyazko Zhelyazkov introduced the opportunities for supporting research and sustainable access to underwater cultural heritage through innovative technologies developed within the BCThubs project, including advanced approaches to documentation, monitoring, and visualisation of underwater sites.
About the Conference
The international conference “New Challenges for Underwater Nature and Cultural Heritage Tourism during the Ocean Decade” was held in person at the Le Cube building of Aix-Marseille University in Aix-en-Provence, France, between 29 January and 1 February 2026, with English as the official working language. Co-organisers included the UNESCO 2001 Convention Secretariat, the Department of Underwater Archaeological Research of the French Ministry of Culture (DRASSM), and several leading European projects, including TOURAL (Horizon Europe), ecoRoute (EMFAF), and uBlueTec (EMFAF), all of which aim to connect marine cultural heritage with sustainable blue tourism and the green economy.
The conference provided a platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices intended to promote a more sustainable approach to the research, protection, promotion, and management of underwater natural and cultural resources worldwide. During the official opening of the conference, Mr. Edouard Planche, Secretary of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, expressed the Organisation’s positive evaluation of the activities of the Centre for Underwater Archaeology and its designation as an institute under the auspices of UNESCO for the Black Sea region.