site.btaBulgaria to Cooperate in Field of Cultural Heritage with Australia, Romania, Croatia, Serbia

Bulgaria will cooperate  with Australia, Croatia, Serbia in the field of cultural heritage. Caretaker Culture Minister Nayden Todorov signed two important international agreements for the study, preservation and popularization of cultural heritage, the Culture Ministry in Sofia said Thursday.

One document is a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Bulgaria and Australia. It provides for cooperation in studying and managing the underwater cultural heritage, and was approved by the government on July 24.

For many years the contacts between the two scientific communities in the field of underwater archaeology were very limited, but within the last three years an opportunity for active cooperation has been created within the framework of the underwater research of the wreck of the Urdoviza off the coast of Kiten on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The research was organized by the Centre for Underwater Archaeology - Sozopol (under the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture) and funded by the Ministry of Culture and the US Institute of Nautical Archaeology.

The expected results of the conclusion of the memorandum are related to the prospects for future joint scientific work and the implementation of institutional interaction and support between Bulgaria and Australia. The document is expected to enhance the exchange of scientists, PhD students and students; joint archaeological research on the territory of both countries; joint use of the existing facilities and resources in each country in possible joint projects; mutual assistance for capacity building in the field of research and conservation of underwater cultural heritage; preparation of joint scientific publications; efforts to secure funding for projects of common interest. 

The second document that was signed Thursday by Culture Minister Todorov and Romanian Culture Minister Raluca Turcan, is an agreement on cooperation in the preparation of a nomination for an object (Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes) for the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nomination is being prepared by four countries - Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Serbia, with Bulgaria being the lead country.

Romania will join with an object titled Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia.

The two countries' Culture Ministers declared a need for continuing bilateral cooperation in fulfilling the priority objectives in the EU strategy for the Danube Region.

The document was also undersigned by representatives of Serbia and Croatia.