Heritage Forum:
FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE
8 - 9 April 2025
The Forum presents challenges to the preservation of immovable cultural heritage in Bulgaria, while looking for good practices and possible practical applications.
Main topics
Cultural heritage is a shared responsibility that requires effective partnerships and active citizen engagement.The Forum focused on developing sustainable models for cooperation between institutions, NGOs, businesses, and local communities to enhance the management, financing, and promotion of cultural heritage in Bulgaria. Another key topic was community building and citizen engagement in the cause of heritage preservation. Additionally, the Forum presented experiences from Bulgaria and Europe in communicating and interpreting contested heritage and creating multi-perspective narratives.
This event gathered leading experts, institutions, cultural professionals, and activists, the event will serve as a platform to discuss the future of cultural heritage and explore sustainable solutions for its preservation.
Participants had the opportunity to engage in discussions, exchange knowledge, draw inspiration from successful international examples, and build new professional and civic networks.
Partners
The event is organized by the Buzludzha Project Foundation and is held with the support of:
- the European Investment Bank
- the French Institute in Bulgaria
- the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Sofia.
- Konrad Adenauer Foundation
- Central Halls, Kaufland
- Networking Premium
- Zaara Estate
The forum is implemented with financial support from the European Union under the international project “Developing an Inclusive Process for Communicating Contested Heritage,” CERV-2023-CITIZENS-REM program, in partnership with: - University of Bologna, department Architecture
- EUROM - European Observatory on Memories, University of Barcelona
- ATRIUM - Association and Cultural Route of the Council of Europe
- EuroClio - European Association of History Educators
Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Location
The Forum will be held at Gurko Theatre Hall ,located at 108 Georgi S. Rakovski Street, Sofia, Center
This beautiful venue, provided by our partners at Networking Premiumis situated on the second floor and is accessible by elevator. The entrance can be recognized by the event poster and the sign "Federation of the Scientific and Technical Unions".
PROGRAM
The Forum will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions. Both Forum days will begin at 9:00 AM and conclude at 5:30 PM. The working languages of the forum will be Bulgarian and English(simultaneous interpretation will be provided)
This year the program is thematically divided into two days and structured into four main panels:
08 April 2025 (Tuesday): Partnerships for Heritage
- Panel 1: How can government, business and NGOs work together for cultural heritage?
- Panel 2: How do educational institutions and initiatives co-create future heritage experts?
09 April 2025 (Wednesday): Communities for Heritage
- Panel 3: How to involve citizens in cultural heritage preservation?
- Panel 4: How to develop professional and local heritage communities?
8 April: Partnerships for Heritage
Watch the video recordings of the presentations and discussions by clicking on the corresponding title below.
Each recording is in the original language of the presentation – marked as BG for Bulgarian and ENG for English.
9:10 WELCOME & GREETINGS
- Miroslav Borshosh, Minister of Tourism
- Deborah Lavall, (ENG), Head of Communication and Culture, German Embassy in Sofia
9:30 KEYNOTE SPEECHES
Trustee of Buzludzha Project Foundation; Board member of Europa Nostra; Director of Cultura Trust, UK
Prof. Arch. Todor Krestev, DSc, Honorary Chairman of ICOMOS Bulgaria
10:10 PANEL 1: HOW CAN STATE, BUSINESS AND NGOs WORK TOGETHER FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE?
Zornitza Venkova, Deputy Head - Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria
Ana-Maria Mitroi-Ciobica, Senior urban advisor – Urban Advisory Division (URBAD), European Investment Bank
- “The Old Town of Kuldiga, UNESCO World Heritage Site: a Joint Responsibility and Action of the Public and Private Sectors." (ENG)
Dr. arch. Jana Jakobsone, Site manager, Latvia
Margarita Dorovska, Project manager for the establishment of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center in Gabrovo
Angel Dimitrov, Senior project manager, Kaufland
11:50 COFFEE BREAK
12:10 DISCUSSION moderated by Dora Ivanova (BG/ENG)
13:00 LUNCH BREAK
14:00 KEYNOTE SPEECH
Prof. Dr. Thomas Danzl, Trustee of Buzludzha Project Foundation; Head of the Restoration Department, Technical University of Munich, Germany
14:20 PANEL 2: HOW DO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND INITIATIVES CO-CREATE FUTURE HERITAGE EXPERTS?
arch. Antoine Bruguerolle, Lecturer at École de Chaillot; Executive Member of ICOMOS France
Prof. Dr. Arch. Yordanka Kandulkova, Department of History and Theory of Architecture, University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy
Prof. Dr. Olya Harizanova, Leading Coordinator, Center of Excellence "Heritage BG"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Popov, Director of the National Archeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
arch. Desislava Dimitrova, Main organizer of the Forum, Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria, Sofia Region
Ivan Vassilev, Executive Director of the Balkan Heritage Foundation
16:10 COFFEE BREAK
16:30 DISCUSSION moderated by Radoslav Iliev, lecturer at Sofia University (BG/ENG)
17:30 CLOSING WORDS
9 April: Communities for heritage
Watch the video recordings of the presentations and discussions by clicking on the corresponding title below.
Each recording is in the original language of the presentation – marked as BG for Bulgarian and ENG for English.
9:10 WELCOME & GREETINGS
- Metodi Markov (BG), Regional Governor Stara Zagora
- Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes, (ENG), Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Bulgaria
9:30 KEYNOTE SPEECH
arch. Dora Ivanova, Founder and Director of Project Buzludzha Foundation
9:50 PANEL 3: HOW TO INVOLVE CITIZENS IN CULTURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION?
Dr. Leila Signorelli and Dr. Alessia Zampini, University of Bologna; ATRIUM, Italy
Dr. Ricard Conesa, UNED; European Observatory on Memory (EUROM), University of Barcelona, Spain
Jan Schultheiß, Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building & Birgit Kann, German Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development Germany (video)
Catalina Gaete, Contested History project at EuroClio, Netherlands
11:20 COFFEE BREAK
11:40 WORKSHOP
"The World through the Lens of Heritage.
Buzludzha. Controversies and Conclusions.”” (BG/ENG)
13:00 LUNCH BREAK
14:00 KEYNOTE SPEECH
Prof. Dr. Jörg Haspel, Trustee of Buzludzha Project Foundation; 1992-2018 Director of the Institute for Monuments in Berlin; 2012-2021 President of ICOMOS Germany
PANEL 4: HOW TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL AND LOCAL HERITAGE COMMUNITIES?
14:20 PRESENTATIONS: ACTIVATING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Eugen Vaida, “King’s Foundation”, Romania
Ani Kodjabasheva, The Collective Foundation
Iva Taralezhkova, Devetaki Plateau Association
Sanjin Mihelić, Director of the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb; President of ICOMOS Croatia
15:40: Q & A
16:00 COFFEE BREAK
16:20 DISCUSSION: THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES (BG/ENG)
moderated by arch. Lyubo Georgiev, "Sofia’s Team"
Irena Todorova, Director of UNESCO Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe
arch. Petar Dikov, Chairman of the Union of Architects in Bulgaria
arch. Martin Mikush, Board Member of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria
Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivaylo Banov Chairman of the Chamber of Engineers in the Investment Design, Sofia City
Slavka Bozukova, Chairwoman of the Cultural Heritage Society
Prof. Dr. Eng. Fantina Rangelova Chairwoman of the Bulgarian Association for Project Management in Construction
17:20 CLOSING WORDS
17:30 - 20:00 NETWORKING
