During the 2025/2026 school year, the Underwater Heritage Institute implemented a large-scale educational programme dedicated to Bulgaria’s underwater cultural heritage and the Black Sea. The initiative was organised as part of the activities of the Bulgarian BCTHub within the BCThubs project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme.
The programme was developed in response to the identified need for a stronger public engagement strategy focused on children and young people. Although Bulgaria is one of the world’s pioneers in underwater archaeology and possesses exceptionally rich underwater cultural heritage, these topics are rarely included in school curricula, museum exhibitions, or educational resources accessible to younger audiences.
Following consultations with school principals and teachers from across the country, it became clear that there was significant interest in such an initiative. This encouraged the Institute’s team to develop a specialised educational programme tailored to different age groups and based on modern teaching approaches, including visual presentations, films, virtual reality experiences, and interactive discussions.
Between October 2025 and May 2026, the programme was delivered in Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, Varna, Nessebar, and Aytos. A total of 705 children and students participated, ranging from preschool groups to students in 12th grade, representing 13 educational institutions.
The programme’s primary objective was to introduce young people to the history of Bulgarian underwater archaeology, the richness of the Black Sea’s underwater cultural heritage, and the importance of its protection. Particular attention was given to Bulgaria’s role as the first European country to ratify the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, as well as to the new role of the Underwater Heritage Institute as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre.
Participants learned about some of the most significant underwater archaeological sites along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, ongoing national and international projects of the Institute, and the environmental challenges facing the Black Sea. Special interest was generated by presentations on cutting-edge technologies used in underwater archaeology, including geophysical survey equipment, underwater robots, remote sensing methods, and the interdisciplinary scientific research that supports underwater archaeological investigations.
The educational sessions combined presentations, films, footage from real underwater expeditions, and an immersive virtual tour of deep-water shipwrecks discovered on the Black Sea seabed. The content was adapted to each age group, while discussions and questions were actively encouraged as an integral part of the learning process.
One of the programme’s most significant achievements was the high level of engagement demonstrated by the participants and their interest in the many aspects of underwater archaeology. Older students, in particular, showed growing curiosity about future career opportunities in archaeology, marine sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and heritage conservation.
The programme contributed not only to increasing students’ knowledge but also to strengthening the professional capacity of teachers. Schools received educational materials, presentations, and films that can continue to support teaching activities related to cultural heritage, history, and the marine environment.
Among the programme’s key outcomes were increased awareness of underwater cultural heritage, a stronger appreciation of its protection, and the establishment of new partnerships with schools across the country. Several schools initiated discussions on long-term cooperation with the Institute and the development of future joint educational activities.
Feedback from students, teachers, and school administrators was overwhelmingly positive and confirmed the need for similar initiatives in the future. As a result, the Underwater Heritage Institute plans to further expand the programme by developing new specialised educational modules focusing on specific aspects of underwater cultural heritage research, protection, and promotion.
The educational programme “Bulgarian Underwater Archaeology” demonstrated that when science is presented in an accessible and engaging way, it can inspire future generations of researchers, foster appreciation for cultural heritage, and encourage a sense of responsibility for its preservation.