In the period 22 - 27 April 2026, a delegation of young scientists from the University of Library and Information Science made a significant working visit to the city of Toronto and the province of Ontario, Canada. The visit was part of UniBIT's active international policy to expand partnerships in the field of education, science and scientific research.
During the visit, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ralitsa Yotova and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Diana Stoyanova held a number of meetings with representatives of leading Canadian universities and scientific organizations, including York University, Brock University, as well as Niagara University. Particularly valuable were the discussions about future partnerships with representatives of the academic community, including opportunities for joint scientific initiatives, exchange of experience, educational projects and deepening ties between UniBIT and Canadian universities.
A meeting was held at York University with Prof. Irene Markov, a representative of the academic community and the Bulgarian cultural environment in Canada. The delegation also visited Kaneff Tower - a landmark associated with the name of the great Bulgarian donor Ignat Kanev. During the visit to Brock University and Niagara University, the young scientists met with representatives of the management and academic staff, with whom they discussed prospects for future academic cooperation, including joint scientific projects, academic exchange of teachers and students, as well as the development of interdisciplinary programs. The meetings were held in a spirit of openness and professionalism and laid a solid foundation for future long-term partnerships.
The delegation received exceptional attention and warm treatment during the meeting with the Mayor of Niagara Falls – Mr. Jim Diodati. The conversation was held in a spirit of respect, openness and mutual interest in the development of educational, cultural and public relations between Bulgaria and Canada. The young scientists also visited the place next to the municipality where a Bulgarian rose is planted – a symbolic sign of the presence of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian spirit in Niagara.
One of the most exciting and emotional moments of the visit was the meeting with representatives of the Bulgarian community in Niagara Falls, held in the Bulgarian Church “St. Ivan Rilski“. The meeting was extremely fruitful and took place in an atmosphere of empathy, patriotism and shared responsibility for preserving the Bulgarian identity abroad. The mission and activities of the Institute for the Bulgarian Diaspora and Cultural Heritage Abroad at UniBIT were presented to the Bulgarian community. Emphasis was placed on the need for sustainable ties between academic institutions in Bulgaria and Bulgarian communities around the world, as well as on the role of cultural heritage, language, faith and historical memory in preserving national identity.
During the meeting, some of UniBIT's significant initiatives and projects were also presented, including the exhibition “155 Years of the Bulgarian Exarchate“, dedicated to the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate and 80 years since the declaration of the autocephalous Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The young scholars also presented some of the results of a project by the “Scientific Research“ Fund collected in the exhibition “The Beauty of the Orthodox Spirit: Valuable Old Printed Books and Engravings from the Library of the Rila Monastery (16th-19th centuries)“.
The program also included a visit to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church “St. Dimitar“ in Brampton, where the delegation bowed before the monument to Vasil Levski.
Ms. Velislava Panova – Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Toronto played a significant role in the successful organization and implementation of the visit. With her assistance, commitment and consistent support, excellent conditions were created for the implementation of the program and for the establishment of important academic and institutional contacts. During her stay, she provided valuable assistance to young scientists from UniBIT, contributing significantly to the fruitful nature of the visit and to the establishment of the good image of Bulgarian academic circles in Canada.
The visit of the UniBIT delegation to Canada confirmed the importance of international academic cooperation and active work with Bulgarian communities abroad. The meetings held created real prerequisites for future partnerships, joint scientific and cultural initiatives and a wider presence of Bulgarian science, education and spirituality in an international context.
(The information is published without editorial intervention and on the basis of a partnership agreement between the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency and the University of Library Science and Information Technologies - UniBIT)