site.btaCulture Ministers of Bulgaria and India Meet with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture

Caretaker Culture Minister Nayden Todorov held meetings within the 46th extended session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, his Ministry said in a press release Wednesday. Todorov met with his Indian counterpart, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, Ernesto Ottone, and UNESCO World Heritage Director Lazare Eloundou Assomo.

With his Indian counterpart, Minister Todorov discussed the possibilities for joint cultural initiatives, including the exchange of exhibitions and translations of books in both languages. Minister Shekhawat confirmed India's interest in presenting its dance formations to the Bulgarian audience. The two ministers expressed their desire to sign a cultural cooperation agreement this year with a specific programme for its implementation over a period of three years.

At his meeting with Ernesto Ottone, Minister Todorov discussed the situation of cultural heritage in Bulgaria and the progress of the plans to transform the island of St. St. Kirik and Julita into a world centre under the auspices of UNESCO. The two sides also discussed the preparation of the Conservation and Management Plan of Ancient Nessebar. Minister Todorov presented the vision and road map of Nessebar and stressed that the documents, prepared in a short period of time, show the readiness of the Bulgarian side to preserve the world heritage site to the maximum extent, in accordance with all UNESCO recommendations and requirements. 

The Culture Minister also personally presented to Ernesto Ottone a submitted application for Bulgaria's Centre for Underwater Archaeology (CUA) to be approved, upgraded and expanded as a UNESCO Category 2 Underwater and World Heritage Centre.

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. Bulgaria was the second in the world and the first in Europe to ratify the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001 Convention in 2003 and the submitted concept is linked to the implementation of the Convention strategy.