A scientific seminar dedicated to the cooperation between Bulgaria and Spain for the implementation of scientific research in Antarctica took place at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia here on Thursday. The aim of the first ever Spanish-Bulgarian seminar was to present the origin, development and current state of the bilateral cooperation on scientific and logistical issues in Antarctica that Spain and Bulgaria have been developing for more than 30 years.
Attending the seminar's opening were Prof. Christo Pimpirev, head of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute; Prof. Antonio Quesada, head of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs and Technical Secretary of the Spanish Polar Committee; Spanish Ambassador Miguel Alonso Berrio; and Academician Tony Spassov, Vice-Rector of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski.
Pimpirev said: "We are here to celebrate a great friendship with our neighbours in Antarctica, the polar explorers of the Kingdom of Spain. For more than 30 years we have been working together and walking hand in hand in the exploration of this continent." Pimpirev stated that the friendship between Bulgaria and Spain is most obvious in Antarctica.
The Spanish Ambassador said that humanity is moving forward precisely through cooperation. In his words, the friendly Antarctic relations between the two countries can represent the history of human progress.
Spassov said that Sofia University has been supporting and will continue to support the efforts of Bulgarian polar researchers by producing geography, geology, biology experts.
In his address, caretaker Minister of Education and Science Galin Tsokov said that the Bulgarian Antarctic base St Kliment Ohridski and the Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii have been included as scientific facilities in the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure. Tsokov reaffirmed his Ministry's commitment to continue to invest in scientific infrastructure, human potential, specific research and innovation programmes, and to support international cooperation related to Antarctica.
The first of the scientific lectures, presented by Quesada and Pimpirev, examined the development of Spanish-Bulgarian cooperation in Antarctica. The two countries' Antarctic cooperation began back in the 1987-1988 season.
During the second lecture, Quesada introduced the main lines of Spanish research in Antarctica, covering topics such as climate change and the development of energy solutions.
Dr Rositsa Yaneva, coordinator of the Bulgarian programme at the National Center for Polar Studies, presented the main directions of Bulgarian research in Antarctica.
Presenters during the second part of the scientific seminar were Miguel Ángel Ojeda, head of logistics of the Spanish program and member of the CSIC Marine Technology Unit, and Dragomir Mateev, Deputy Director of the National Center for Polar Studies.
The seminar was closed by Spanish scientist and writer Dr Javier Cacho who talked about science in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration (1898-1922).
/DS/
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