Nessebar: Experts Assess Underwater Cultural Heritage

The mayor of Nesebar Municipality, Mr. Nikolay Dimitrov, held a key meeting with prominent international experts, whose main task is to assess the condition of the underwater cultural heritage in the area. The event, which took place in the heart of the old town, in the building of the Old Town Hall, gathered some of the most prominent names in the field of underwater heritage preservation.

Among those present were Prof. Robert Domżal from Poland – Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body on the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (STAB). Dr. Azzedine Karra from Morocco, a leading expert in the field of underwater heritage, also attended. In addition to them, the meeting was also attended by Dr. Nayden Prahov – Director of the Center for Underwater Archaeology at the Ministry of Culture, as well as Mr. Todor Marvakov – Director of the "Ancient Nesebar" Museum.

The guests are part of a joint mission of STAB and ICOMOS, and their visit is directly related to the preservation and effective management of the underwater components of the site, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – "Ancient City of Nesebar".

In a speech to those present, Mayor Nikolay Dimitrov emphasized the commitment of the local municipality to this important task: "The Municipality of Nesebar actively supports the activities of the Center for Underwater Archaeology, because it is of extreme importance to us." He continued, explaining the importance of scientific research for the region: "The work of scientists reveals the hidden treasures of ancient Nesebar and enriches the scientific community with new knowledge not only about the social and domestic norms of antiquity, but also about climate change and its influence on the Black Sea coast and ancient settlements like Nesebar. Here, the interests of science and history fully coincide with the interests of the local community for the development of tourism, which is directly dependent on cultural heritage," the mayor emphasized.

At the meeting, Dr. Nayden Prahov, Director of the Center for Underwater Archaeology, announced a significant change. The Center will undergo a reform, becoming an International Regional Black Sea Institute for Underwater Heritage, acting under the aegis of UNESCO. "This transformation will organizationally support our activities and will give us the opportunity to work at an international level. The current mission aims to objectively assess the state of the underwater heritage of Nesebar and to prepare recommendations for its preservation, as well as for its inclusion in the Plan for the Protection and Management of the World Heritage Site," Dr. Prahov stated.

The event was the result of close cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, Nesebar Municipality, the Bulgarian delegation to UNESCO, the National Commission for UNESCO, and the Center for Underwater Archaeology.