The University of Library Science and Information Technology (UniBIT) held the 18th International Traveling Seminar in Sicily, Italy. 50 scientists and representatives of the academic community of the boutique university presented their new scientific research on the topic of the forum "Modern dimensions of the European educational and scientific space." Bulgarian-Sicilian cultural communication“.
The final event of the Seminar was at the university of the third largest city on the island of Sicily – Messina, on the last day of a five-day research trip to the island of three seas.
„Our goal is not only to expand our knowledge and discuss the current challenges facing European education and science, but also to strengthen the cultural ties between the two peoples,” said Prof. Dr. Irena Peteva, rector of UniBIT, in the speech, with which he opened the celebration.
Prof. Germana Spatari – rector of the University of Messina, congratulated the Bulgarian delegation on behalf of the hosts of the forum, already established with 18 years of history. In her welcome, she emphasized the importance of the cooperation between the Bulgarian University and the University of Messina, emphasizing the historical ties between the two cultures and the prospects for future joint initiatives. The University of Messina as a center for international relations of students and scientists was presented by the vice-rector Prof. Antonini Germana.
Congratulatory addresses to the participants of the Seminar were sent by Rumen Radev - President of the Republic of Bulgaria, His Majesty Tsar Simeon II, Prof. Galin Tsokov – Minister of Education, maestro Nayden Todorov – Minister of Culture, Dr. Petko Nikolov – Minister of Economy. Special congratulatory addresses were given by His Excellency Mr. Todor Stoyanov – ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria in Italy, by Her Excellency Ms. Ursula Hofter Zuccoli – ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta and Rhodes in Bulgaria, as well as by Mr. Giovanni de Luca – honorary consul of the Republic of Bulgaria in Sicily, Italy.
As noted by the hosts of the closing scientific event in Messina, the presence of H.E. Ambassador Todor Stoyanov emphasizes the enormous importance that the Bulgarian state attaches to the development of education and science in this relatively small country, but comparable to the best countries in terms of culture in the world.
The event was held with the blessing of His Eminence Western European Metropolitan Anthony.
Actually, the Traveling Seminar took place over five days and brought together scientists from Bulgaria and Italy in Sicily in one place to discuss current topics related to education, science, security, cultural and historical heritage. And to discuss ways to expand cultural understanding between the two peoples.
„It is an honor for us to be together on this day with colleagues from Messina and to open the plenary session dedicated to our Bulgarian-Sicilian relations in science, culture, human relations”. With these words, Prof. D.Sc. Stoyan Denchev opened the forum and, as moderator, gave the floor to the panellists Prof. Boryana Buzhashka with the report "Bulgarian-Vatican relations in the period 1975-2009 according to documents stored in the Diplomatic Archive of the Ministry of the Interior of Bulgaria". and Prof. Ventsislav Velev with the report “Brief overview of some of the more significant moments in Bulgarian-Italian political and cultural relations“.
Prof. Massimo Villari, Head of the Department of Cultural Studies at the University of Messina, presented the report "Cultural Communications and Intercultural Dialogue: Sicily as a crossroads of civilizations". He looked at the historical aspects of cultural exchange in the region. Other topics that were highlighted in the discussions were educational tourism in the context of the preservation and sustainable development of cultural heritage, visual culture, professional competence as a factor to improve the quality of education, libraries, artificial intelligence and national security, the integration of bifurcation theory and catastrophe theory for countering hostile artificial intelligence and mathematical models in military tactical systems, etc.
UniBIT, as a guardian of spirituality and cultural heritage, did not miss the first university in Sicily in its seminar program – the University of Catania, founded in 1434 by Alfonso V of Aragon. A stop in the scientific research activity of UniBIT scientists on the island was the University of Palermo, where 50,000 students are educated. The UniBIT delegation visited the unique jewels at the foot of Mount Etna, the towns of Cefalù and Taormina, the Ancient Theater from the 3rd century BC, from where the coast of the Ionian Sea is revealed as in a picturesque postcard, the baroque pearl of Noto, which next year will be the cultural capital of Europe and the chocolate capital of Sicily - Modica.
The finale of the research trip was in Saracusa – the ancient city of Archimedes – philosopher, inventor, father of the timeless exclamation “Eureka“.
„Eureka!”, UniBIT scientists exclaimed, discovering colleagues and friends in Sicily, with whom they drew new horizons in science and education in Italy and Bulgaria.