During the first day of the visit, Minister Rashidov held a working dinner with ambassadors and representatives to the Executive Board of UNESCO who will take part in the election of the new Director-General during the 182nd Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO.

On September 9, 2009, Minister Vezhdi Rashidov met with the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura.

During their talk, Minister Rashidov expressed his personal support and that of the Bulgarian government for Ambassador Irina Bokova, candidate for the post of Director-General of UNESCO.

Minister Rashidov confirmed before his host the commitment of Bulgaria towards encouraging the noble ideals of UNESCO in safeguarding peace, defending human rights, respecting human dignity, understanding and respecting diversity, expressing also his ambition for our country to become a member of the World Heritage Committee.

In the course of the talks, it was emphasised that at the 182nd Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO the decision will be made to open for the first time in Bulgaria a UNESCO Regional Center with headquarters in Sofia for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the region of South-Eastern Europe.

Later that day, during a ceremony at the Bulgarian Embassy in Paris, Minister Rashidov presented the Golden Age honorary award of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture to Mr Jean-Paul Villain, French art collector and gallery-owner, for his contribution to popularising Bulgarian art in France and around the world.

The evening ended with Minister Rashidov meeting prominent French intellectuals, public figures, senators, deputies, ambassadors and compatriots at the reception given by Ambassador Bokova to mark the 182nd Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO.

The following day, Minister Rashidov met with the French Minister of Culture and Communication, Mr Frédéric Mitterrand.

The two ministers discussed the traditionally excellent relations and collaboration between Bulgaria and France in the field of culture and exchanged opinions concerning a number of current issues. Minister Rashidov expressed his contentment with the regular high-level meetings between the two countries, and shared his intention to use every opportunity to expand the cultural exchange between Bulgaria and France.

The election of our country will enhance its international prestige, because through its work in this UNESCO Commission, Bulgaria will contribute to the practical application of the Convention, which offers more explicit ideas on the relation between cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and the promotion of creative industries, as well as the inclusion of culture as an element of one of the Millennium Goals, particularly sustainable development.

They met with Mrs Françoise Rivière, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Culture. At the meeting, which was also attended by Ambassador Irina Bokova, Mrs Rivière spoke about the activities of UNESCO in the field of culture and more specifically about the efforts to protect world cultural heritage and to preserve cultural diversity.

In the course of the meeting with Mr Nino Gomez, Director of the Bureau of Public Information of UNESCO and Chief of the Publishing Division, the Bulgarian journalists and publishers were briefed on the activities of the Bureau regarding information on UNESCO events, contacts with the media, and actions in defending freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

Ambassador Bokova shared her views with the Bulgarian journalists and publishers on the issue of freedom of the press and freedom of speech, underlining that freedom of speech is an unalienable right of each individual and every democratic society. She added that the role of UNESCO, as a unique organisation within the United Nations system, is to defend freedom of speech and freedom of the press as guarantees for the democratic development of every society. She shared her opinion that by offering a tribune open to all members of society, the media will become agents facilitating dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation among nations and cultures.

Later that day, the Bulgarian delegation was received by Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, who answered questions posed by the journalists. He also made an analysis of his term in office and the challenges he had to overcome.

The exhibition is dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the establishing of diplomatic relations between the two countries and was organised by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Centre for National Monuments of France.

The exhibition, which will be in France until August 30, 2009, comprises 80 icons, as well as medieval manuscripts and church plate. A delegation of the Ministry of Culture arrived in Paris for the opening, led by Deputy Minister Ivan Tokadjiev, who greeted the guests on behalf of Stefan Danailov, Minister of Culture. Mrs Isabelle Lemesle, President of the Centre for National Monuments, delivered a welcome address on behalf of the French hosts. The opening of the exhibition was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, by high-ranking administration officials and members of the diplomatic corps, as well as by French and Bulgarian intellectuals. The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was represented by Metropolitan Cyril, Archbishop of Varna and Veliki Preslav. Distinguished representatives of the Bulgarian media were also present at the event.

The May 11 religious holiday of the Saint Brothers Cyril and Methodius ended with a concert of Orthodox choral at the Madeleine Church in the centre of Paris. It was performed by the “Ivan Rilski” Choir, under the baton of Koicho Atanassov. In her address to the audience, Ambassador Irina Bokova emphasised the importance of the two significant cultural events which took place on that day as an illustration of the cultural traditions and spirit of the Bulgarian nation, as well as their role within the framework of the cultural dialogue between Bulgaria and France.

The Chairman of the National Assembly pointed out that he valued highly the interest in our country shown by such a widely represented membership of the leading body of UNESCO and expressed gratitude to the organiser of the visit, Bulgarian ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Mrs Irina Bokova.

Mr Pirinski informed the guests that one of the acts of the National Assembly subjected to a most circumstantial discussion during the past months was precisely the new law on protection of cultural heritage.

Representatives of several UNESCO member-states, among which were Nigeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Madagascar, and Hungary, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to visit “the temple of Bulgarian parliamentary life” and emphasised the contribution of Ambassador Bokova in acquainting them with Bulgarian cultural values and the protection of world cultural and historical heritage.

After the meeting, the participants in the conference had their photograph taken in front of the building of the National Assembly, after which they visited the exhibition “Constituent Assembly Members” in the small park outside the Parliament.

Later that evening, a cocktail party was hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Mr Ivailo Kalfin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The participants visited the city of Veliko Tarnovo, one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities and capital of Bulgaria at the time of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1185–1393 A.D.) The city has a history of over five millennia, as the first traces on life there date back to the third millennium B.C.

The participants, accompanied by archeologist Nikolai Ovcharov, visited the Tsarevets Fortress, situated in the very heart of the city. It was the most important Bulgarian fortification during the Second Kingdom (1185–1393 A.D.)

The participants in the conference also visited the ancient village of Arbanassi, an architectural and historical site on the outskirts of Veliko Tarnovo. It is characterised by its monumental houses and churches with richly decorated interiors, woodworks and frescos dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. In Arbanassi, the delegation visited the ‘Nativity’ Church from the 15th century and a historic house museum, which has preserved the features of everyday life during the Bulgarian National Revival period.

Later that evening, the mayor of Veliko Tarnovo Mr. Roumen Tashev gave a dinner in honour of the delegation, after which the guests attended the “Sound and Light” audio-visual show on the Tsarevets hill. A concoction of lights, lasers and church bell chimes, set to a score of dramatic music, tells the glorious and tragic story of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom(1185–1393 A.D.)

The participants in the Conference visited the city of Kazanlak, known as the centre of the Rose Valley in Bulgaria. The region around Kazanlak is where the oil-yielding rose is grown, from which the world-famous Kazanlak rose oil is made. They were welcomed by the city’s mayor, Stefan Damyanov, and by the Governor of the district of Stara Zagora, Maria Neykova.

The participants were also welcomed by Dr. Kosyo Zarev, director of the History Museum of Kazanlak, and together they visited the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, which is situated in a mound not far from the city. It was discovered accidentally in 1944 and dates back to the late 4th century B.C. It is believed to have been built for a Thracian nobleman and close associate of the Odrysian King Seuthes. It comprises three chambers decorated with ornamental frescoes and painted murals.

The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak is a rare example of Thracian architectural craftsmanship and the art of painting during the Hellenistic period. It is the oldest in Europe, and the only one with preserved frescoes.

The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Committee session of 1979 in Luxor, Egypt.

The participants in the Conference also visited the ‘Golyama Kosmatka’ Thracian Mound not far from Kazanlak. It was discovered in 2004 and is one of the grandest and richest Thracian tombs, consisting of a fully-preserved burial chamber of a Thracian king who was buried with his horse. It dates back to the 3rd century B.C.

The participants in the conference visited Old Town Plovdiv with its characteristic houses from the time of the Bulgarian Revival Period and narrow cobblestoned streets. They had the opportunity to see the diversity of temples and churches in the city famous for its religious tolerance. They paid a visit to Plovdiv’s oldest Eastern Orthodox church, ‘St Constantine and St Elena,’ dating back to the beginning of the 4th century A.D., to the catholic cathedral of St Louis, famous for its oversized cross, as well as to the largest mosque in Plovdiv, “Djumaya”, built in the 14th century. The “Djumaya” Mosque is considered to be one of the three oldest mosques preserved on the Balkan Peninsula.

Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe and a contemporary of Troy. It was founded some 6000 years B.C. and has many well-preserved monuments from antiquity. They visited the Ancient Theatre, one of the best-preserved amphitheatres in the world. It was built in the early 2nd century A.D., during the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan. It was discovered during archaeological diggings conducted by the Plovdiv Museum of Archaeology between 1968-1979.

The participants also visited the Trakart Cultural Centre, which is currently exhibiting ancient floor mosaics dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries from the collection of the Plovdiv Archaeological Museum.

The participants in the Conference met with Georgi Shopov, deputy mayor of Plovdiv in charge of Education, Science, Culture and Tourism. Later that evening, the mayor of Plovdiv, Slavcho Atanassov, gave a dinner in honour of the guests.

The conference, which was opened by the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to UNESCO, Ambassador Irina Bokova, was organised by the Permanent Delegation of Bulgaria to UNESCO, the National Commission for UNESCO, and the Ministry of Culture.

In her address to the conference, Ambassador Bokova stated that in the conditions of a financial and economic crisis, important components of the human mind and spirit like education and culture should not be neglected. The budgets for education should not be cut down, because it is precisely education that is part of the response to this crisis.

More than 60 ambassadors from 44 UNESCO member-states took part in the forum, as well as presidents and secretaries general of national commissions to UNESCO, state secretaries and ministers. Among the delegates to the conference were the President of the 32nd UNESCO General Conference, Mr Michael Omolewa, the President of the 33rd UNESCO General Conference and until recently Permanent Representative of Oman, Dr. Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan, two presidents of the Executive Board of UNESCO, the Permanent Representative of Honduras, Ambassador Mrs Sonia Mendieta de Badaroux, and the Permanent Representative of Morocco, Ambassador Aziza Bennani.

The conference was addressed by the Minister of Education of Sri Lanka, Mr Susil Premajayantha, by the Permanent representative of Greece and President of the 34th UNESCO General Conference, Mr George Anastasopoulos, by the President of the University of Sofia, Professor Ivan Ilchev, and by ambassadors of UNESCO member-states.

At 10 a.m., the President opened the international conference on Protection of Cultural Heritage and Promotion of Cultural Diversity – a Response to Globalization at the Boyana Residence.

“We showed not only our unique cultural and historical acquisitions, but also our cultural policy of protecting national heritage, which has been implemented for decades now,” added the President. “This is surely the best publicity for Bulgaria.”

Representatives of 44 countries attended the conference.

In his address at the opening, the President stated, “The world is facing a global financial crisis, but it is also a world of spiritual values. This crisis should not develop into a global crisis of our values.”

The conference is being held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and is organised by the Permanent Delegation of Bulgaria to UNESCO, the National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture. It is within the framework of the cultural visit to Bulgaria of members of the UNESCO Executive Board.