On 5th and 6th of September, the city of Plovdiv hosted the Eleventh coordination meeting of Category 2 UNESCO Centres active in the field of the intangible cultural heritage. The forum was held in Bulgaria on the initiative of the Regional Centre Sofia – UNESCO, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Municipality of Plovdiv and the State Institute “Ancient Plovdiv”. It also marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. The event was held in the Small Basilica of Philippopolis with the participation of experts from Algeria, China, Iran, Japan, Peru, Republic of Korea, UAE.
At the official opening ceremony, were addressed greetings to the participants and guests by the Minister of Culture of Republic of Bulgaria,Krastyu Krastev, the UNESCO Director of the Capacity Building Department Suzanne Schnutgen, the Deputy Mayor for Culture, Archeology and Tourism of the Plovdiv Municipality Plamen Panov, the Director of the State Cultural Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Bulgaria, Snezhana Joveva-Dimitrova, the Director of the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe, Irena Todorova, who was the moderator of the meeting.
“I am proud that the Regional Centre Sofia continues its efforts in supporting UNESCO to fulfill the objectives of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and I believe that our next initiative will be dedicated to our shared mission”, underlined in her welcome speech Irena Todorova, PhD, the Director of Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultral Heritage in South-Eastern Europe.
She made a brief overview of the chronology of holding the Annual Meetings of Category 2 Centres,as started with the first meeting in Sozopol, Bulgaria in 2013. After that, forums were organized in Paris, Guiyang, Shiraz, Algeria. The aim of the regular meetings are to improve the communication among the Centres and effective exchange of the network with UNESCO. The Regional Centre Sofia – UNESCO is one of the eight centers dedicated to the safeguarding of the global living heritage, and managed by an entirely Bulgarian team. Ms Todorova, PhD expressed special gratitude to the Ministry of culture, Municipality of Plovdiv and State Institute “Ancient Plovdiv” for the support and long-term partnership.
“I am convinced that each of you will share good practices and experiences that will contribute to the more effective implementation of the principles of the 2003 Convention. I believe that the forum, which we are starting today, and its results will contribute to make important decisions for the cooperation between the countries in the field of the intangible cultural heritage. They will provide a new thrust to interactions for the exchange of experience and knowledge, they will generate ideas for joint initiatives to promote our common heritage,” said Minister Krastyu Krastev in his welcome speech.
He highlighted that the Regional Centre Sofia is one of the indisputable factors for the implementation of the policies for the safeguarding of the living heritage in the region, and its diverse activity manages to attract new audiences and young people, who become an essential actor in the conservation of the traditions.
“Today’s meeting is extremely prestigious and with enormous magnitude. I have always said that the city of Plovdiv – the first Bulgarian European Capital of Culture – is very suited to host and gather people who are leaders when it comes to the various sectorial policies in the field of culture, when are made an important analyzes. Those of you who come for the first time will see everything we are proud of – eight thousand years of history. You will also see what we have achieved in the last twelve years in terms of cultural heritage safeguarding. I am proud to remind you that Plovdiv is a city – a leader in South-Eastern Europe in the conservation of crafts.”- pointed into his welcome speech the Deputy Mayor Plamen Panov.
He kindly surprised the director of the Regional Centre Sofia- Irena Todorova,PhD with a gift – a luxury album “Honorary Citizens of Plovdiv” and explained that he would like this to be a sign of gratitude for the good cooperation and invaluable support over the last four years that the Centre has provided of Plovdiv as valuable expoertise and partnership in various initiatives, but also that the work of Irena Todorova,PhD “remains a clear sign in the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in Plovdiv”
After the official part, there was a musical greeting by the talented girls from the “Evmolpeia” choir with conductor Aliya Hanse, PhD, piano accompaniment Yordanka Ivanova and art manager Ganka Yankova.