UNWE and Standard Newspaper Launched the Project "Wonders of Bulgaria - Digital Routes"

The UNWE - the number one university in digitalization, together with the largest National Campaign for promoting the cultural heritage and tourism - "Wonders of Bulgaria" - announced the beginning of a joint project entitled "Wonders of Bulgaria - Digital Routes".

The hosts of the official ceremony held in Maxima Aula were the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov and Mrs. Slavka Bozukova, Editor-in-Chief of Standard Newspaper. The Minister of Tourism Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stella Baltova, H.M. King Simeon II, ambassadors, mayors, representatives of the tourism industry, directors of cultural institutions, deans of faculties, heads of departments and institutes, lecturers and students presented at the event.

The project "Wonders of Bulgaria - Digital Routes" will upgrade and digitize the Standard Newspaper campaign. It provisions to create an interactive map which will be uploaded in the information cloud. It will include all the available information about the Wonders of Bulgaria containing tourist sites and routes as well as our intangible cultural heritage especially what is already protected by UNESCO. Part of it is also the singing phenomenon "Bistrica Grannnies" which opened the event. The EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Maria Gabriel welcomed the initiative in a special address.

The large-scale project will be implemented with the participation of the scientific and student potential of UNWE together with the participants and partners in the campaign "Wonders of Bulgaria" - archaeologists, museum workers, architects, mayors, tourism industry, journalists.

The moderator of the event was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov, Vice-Rector for Research and International Cooperation. "We will talk about heritage and tourism and their future in the digital world", he underlined reminding that such a small area has gathered an extraordinary wealth of beautiful natural landmarks and cultural monuments of world importance. "Today we have gathered to find a digital way to rediscover the wonders of our country and attract the attention of young people to them."

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov officially opened the event: “I have the honor to present to you a new project that will include the entire intellectual and creative potential of our university. The project makes it possible to gather in one place all the available information accompanying tourist sites, infrastructure, investment opportunities, municipal administration, etc." The Rector outlined that the information digitalization will help promote the sites especially among young people and will increase the number of tourists in the interior of the country which is part of the long-term National Strategy for presenting Bulgaria as a tourist country for 4 seasons.

Prof. Dimitrov pointed out that the accompanying infrastructure and business will become visible through the prism of cultural tourism. This will lead to accelerated development of lagging regions and reduction of the demographic crisis - one of the main objectives of the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability. The interactive map developed under the project will be uploaded in the information cloud as part of the new program of the European Commission for digitalization of cultural heritage, added Prof. Dimitrov.

According to the founder of the campaign Slavka Bozukova “this project is a meeting between the wonders of Bulgaria in the past and the greatest wonders of our country today - the young people who can carry with their energy and creativity the cultural and historical heritage into the future”. Slavka Bozukova underlined that the aim had been to restore and socialize the sites of the cultural heritage but now it is needed their digitization and digitalization. She emphasized on the fact that the idea is not just to create a tourist portal or another poster for young people but to do something bigger that could unite and could educate in the covenants left to us by our ancestors.

Reminding the words of President John F. Kennedy "Do not ask what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country", Mrs. Bozukova said that these words could be applied to all UNWE graduates who should make up for the knowledge, life lessons and friends they have received. She also shared that she makes up with this project to the university she graduated from. "Although I understand nothing from the Security Department, I am sure that the UNWE security having in mind the present Managing body and Trustees board is in safe hands in the turbulent time which we live in," concluded Slavka Bozukova.

In her greeting address, the EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel emphasized that cultural tourism is an additional resource for the growth of local economies and ensuring a better quality of life for the benefit of citizens. Cultural and historical landmarks, folklore and traditions are key for the regions - to create jobs and to attract visitors and tourists. In this context, the project between the UNWE and the campaign "Wonders of Bulgaria" is an excellent opportunity for innovative presentation of the wealth of our country. The greeting of Mrs. Maria Gabriel was read by Bogomila Kormanova, UN youth delegate and UNWE graduate.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stella Baltova, Minister of Tourism, expressed her great pleasure to attend the official presentation of the project. She pointed out that such a project is needed because the cultural heritage is a unique, irreplaceable resource for the tourism development in our country. Assoc. Prof. Baltova outlined: “Information is the most important tool for the tourism development and hence digitalization contributes to the collection of important information, to the preservation of cultural heritage and its innovative presentation and management. The technological innovations that will be at the heart of the project are reshaping the role of cultural institutions in presenting the cultural heritage, because thus they will make information accessible to a wider audience“. Digitization will invariably change the way our destinations are presented and promoted, it is the future, she concluded.

Minister Baltova outlined her convinience that such initiatives would help to present the exceptional resource of cultural and historical monuments which are in abundance in Bulgaria - the third country in Europe regarding the cultural and historical potential.

As a special ambassador of the UN World Tourism Organization and a person who has always worked for the good image of our country H. M. King Simeon II expressed his full support to this "significant project with great potential". "I am a person who has lived in distress almost all my life abroad. I have always observed and compared. I have participated in various world tourism forums and I am aware of the huge opportunities of tourism. This area is a very important unit but it must be preserved and should be worked for it constantly. We must be present on the world tourist map with all the unique features of our country. We are obliged to mobilize and show this potential to the world ", King Simeon II sent his message.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nikolay Tsonev, Head of the Economics of Tourism Department, presented the Department and the advantages of training in this discipline at the UNWE. He also outlined the importance of the role of trained personnel for the development of that branch.

The Chairman of the Student Council and PhD student at the Economics of Tourism Department Angel Stoykov shared that his first choice is the tourism so he continues developing in the field.

He also addressed to the young people: "Dear colleagues, it will never cease to be fashionable to preserve and respect our history. Be responsible and be extremely active in such initiatives and projects because Bulgaria needs us. I am glad that UNWE is part of such a project and has the opportunity to work for the Bulgarian tourism. I believe that this will encourage young people to get acquainted with the beauty of Bulgaria and appreciate what a beautiful country they live in. Such projects should be highly valued and be an example of subsequent initiatives developing and supporting the tourism in Bulgaria. I believe that the UNWE has great specialists and professionals who will implement the project in the best way. I believe in the success of the project, thank you for the opportunity".

H.E. Zakia El Midaoui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco to Bulgaria, has been part of the Standard Newspaper's campaign since its inception. She expressed her pleasure to be part of the cultural event, saying: "I am happy to be a participant in this project which has made a huge contribution to the preservation of wonders of your beautiful country. Cultural and historical heritage is vital to humanity and to all nations because it represents their culture and civilization and helps to connect people by creating a sense of belonging to their roots and community".

According to her, it is our duty to preserve, revive and keep our identity. "The fact that this event is held at the prestigious University of National and World Economy is a testimony that the cultural heritage as a whole and the wonders of Bulgaria are one of the priorities of the academic community" were the conclusive words of Ambassador El Midawi. Then she surprised the guests at the event with a Moroccan tea ceremony and Moroccan sweets.