Bulgaria and UNESCO
BULGARIA AND UNESCO
UNESCO is a United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organization, established in 1945. Bulgaria has been a member of UNESCO since May 17, 1956. The main national body for working with the organization is the National Commission for UNESCO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the part of the Ministry of Culture, a member of the Bureau of the National Commission is the relevant deputy minister responsible for international activities. Bulgaria's activities under UNESCO in recent years have been developing in line with the trends and initiatives undertaken by the international organization in the field of cultural policy, the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the development of cultural industries and cultural tourism as a factor for economic and social cohesion, cultural pluralism, the promotion of creativity, etc.
BULGARIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE ON THE UNESCO LIST
During the 32nd session of the UNESCO General Conference (October 2003), the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted by consensus. It aims to protect, preserve and respect: 1) oral traditions and forms of expression, including language as a carrier of the intangible cultural heritage; 2) artistic and
performing arts; 3) social customs, rites and celebrations; 4) knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; 5) knowledge and skills relating to traditional crafts. (cited in Art. 2 of the Convention). Bulgaria ratified the Convention in 2006, and on 10 June 2006 it entered into force for Bulgaria. At the end of June 2006, Bulgaria was elected to the First Intergovernmental Committee for the Intangible Heritage with a two-year mandate.
Since 2007, Bulgaria has declared to the international community its intention to establish a Category 2 Regional Center, associated with UNESCO, on issues of intangible cultural heritage in our country. The Ministry of Culture is carrying out the preparation and organization on this issue.
INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF BULGARIA, REGISTERED IN UNESCO
1. Fireworks (registered in 2009);
2. Surva (registered in 2015);
3. National Festival of Bulgarian Folk Art Koprivshtitsa: a system of practices
for the presentation and transmission of cultural heritage (registered in 2016);
4. Martenitsa (registered in 2017).