The Regional Centre is recognized as a regional centre (category 2) under the auspices of UNESCO
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The Regional Centre is recognized as a regional centre (category 2) under the auspices of UNESCO
Signing an agreement between Bulgaria and UNESCO
Official opening of the Regional Center – Sofia
Continuation Agreement the activities of the Center for a new six-year period
UNESCO Director-General, Ms Irina Bokova, together with the former Foreign Minister, Mr Nikolay Mladenov, former Culture Minister, Mr Vezhdi Rashidov and the former President of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, acad. Nikola Sabotinov, officially inaugurated on February 20, 2012 in Sofia the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO.
The Regional Centre Sofia – UNESCO operates on the basis of an Agreement which renews regularly
The Agreement between UNESCO and the Government of Republic of Bulgaria regarding the establishment in Sofia of a Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under auspices of UNESCO was signed on October 25, 2010 in Paris (France). On March 16, 2011 the Bulgarian Parliament adopted the Law on ratification of the Agreement and then it entered into force.
On November 10, 2017 the Director-General of UNESCO – Ms Irina Bokova (2009-2017) and the former Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria – Mr Boil Banov signed the Agreement regarding the continuation in Sofia (Bulgaria) of the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO. This Agreement is concluded for a period of six years from its entry into force. The Agreement is ratified by law and promulgated in State Gazette issue № 32 from 13.04.2018.
On November 11, 2023, in the frames of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris, the new Agreement for the continuation of operation of the Regional Centre in Sofia was signed by the former Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria – Mr Krastyu Krastev and UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone. The document was signed for a new 8-year period. Irena Todorova, Executive Director of the Regional Centre Sofia – UNESCO, and Ernesto Ottone, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations.
Cofounders of the Regional Centre Sofia – UNESCO are the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
The necessary funds for the running costs of the Sofia Centre are provided by the Bulgarian Government. For this purpose a specific article in the Bulgarian Cultural Heritage Act is amended.
Scope: The Regional Centre Sofia – UNESCO has 17 Мember States: Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Albania, Republic of Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Georgia, Republic of Greece, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Slovenia, Republic of Türkiye and Ukraine. The scope of the Regional Centre is expected to expand in the forthcoming years.
Category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO exclusively devoted to intangible cultural heritage. See more
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