HIGH-LEVEL OPENING PANEL

BLACK SEA 2030: PARTNERSHIP FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Welcome and official opening

Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas Municipality

Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation, European Commission (video address)

From policy to practice: A roadmap for accelerated blue growth in the Black Sea region

Moderators:

Atanaska Nikolova, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association “ProspectiM”

Ruska Boyadzhieva, Executive Director of the Burgas – 2032 Foundation

Main topics for discussion:

• Sustainable urban development and the future of Black Sea municipalities in the context of contemporary challenges;
• Sustainable blue economy – key policies and measures to overcome the challenges of the transition at European and national level;
• Protection of the marine environment and adaptation to climate change – policy frameworks to address the challenges;
• Innovation, digitalization and low-carbon development – the role of business in the transition to sustainable blue growth.

Speakers:

Zhecho Stankov, Minister of Energy

Dr. Georgi Tahov, Minister of Agriculture and Food of Bulgaria

Manol Genov, Minister of Environment and Water (tbc)

Vladimir Krumov, Regional Governor of Burgas Region

Prof. Dr. Sotir Sotirov, Rector of Burgas State University “Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov”

Prof. Dr. Milen Baltov, Rector of Burgas Free University

Flagship initiatives of the European Commission (Strategic Approach to the Black Sea and Ocean Pact)

Charlina Vicheva, Director of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission

PANEL I: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF BLACK SEA MUNICIPALITIES – FROM POLICY TO REAL ACTIONS

Moderator:

Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria

Main topics for discussion:

• The potential of the Black Sea region for sustainable blue growth – the position of local authorities;
• Overcoming the lag in building basic technical and environmental infrastructure, financing opportunities for cities for sustainable growth;
• Smart cities: partnership with business and academia for a better urban environment.

Speakers:

Stanimir Apostolov, Deputy Mayor of Burgas Municipality, Department of Finance, Budget, Economy and Maritime Affairs

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Steliyan Dimitrov, Head of the Department of Geospatial Systems and Technologies and Director of the National Center for Geospatial Research and Technologies, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Todor Chobanov, Deputy Minister of Culture

Georgi Petkov, Executive Director of the NGO “MIRG Pomorie”

Ilze Atanasova, Chair of the Board of Directors of Maritime Cluster Bulgaria

PANEL II: MARITIME BUSINESS – PARTNER AND DRIVER FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Moderator:

Ivelina Strateva, Director of the Directorate of Economy and Economic Activities, Burgas Municipality

Main topics for discussion:

• Blue economy and sustainable development: good practices for balancing growth and environmental protection.
• Challenges facing the maritime business sectors for green and digital transition – business position;
• Opportunities for overcoming deficits – proposals for policies and specific measures; Reducing administrative barriers to business;
• Initiatives to stimulate the transition to a sustainable blue economy.

Speakers:

Rositsa Stoeva, National Coordinator of the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and Deputy Director of the Directorate for Foreign Economic Relations and Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Dimitar Enchev, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of PostScriptum Ventures, Board Member of the Bulgarian Venture Capital Association and Co-Chair of the Energy Committee at AmCham Bulgaria

Stoyan Kotov, Director of the Directorate for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Prof. Dr. Ana Gavrilović, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Board Member of the Mission for the Restoration of Oceans, Seas and Inland Waters of the European Commission and Member of the Technical and Scientific Committee of the European Inland Fisheries Commission (EIFAAC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

George Kremlis, Honorary Director of the European Commission and Director of the Institute for Climate and Circular Economy at the European Public Law Organization.

PANEL III: MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Moderator:

Maya Ruseva, Director of the Strategic Development Directorate, Burgas Municipality

Main topics for discussion:

• State of the marine environment and biodiversity – what the data shows;
• Symbiosis between growth and environmental protection and biodiversity in the Black Sea – good examples;
• Pollution reduction, waste management and elimination of plastic – from good wishes to real real results;
• Strategies for coastal resilience and disaster risk reduction
• Innovations and business models for marine environmental protection;

Speakers:

Reneta Koleva, Deputy Minister of Environment and Water

Eolina Milova, Senior Environmental Specialist, World Bank

Prof. Dr. Valentina Todorova, Director of the Institute of Oceanology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Prof. Dr. Boyan Kulov, Institute for Climate, Atmosphere and Water Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Dr. Dimitar Popov, Project Coordinator, Green Balkans

PANEL IV: INNOVATION AND DIGITALISATION IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Moderator:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lenya Gonsalvesh, Head of the Department of Chemistry and the Central Research Laboratory at the Research Institute of Burgas State University, Member of the Board of Directors of the Association “ProspectiM”

Main topics for discussion:

• From science to industry: business innovations and technologies with practical application – good examples;
  • Innovations in the field of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture;
  • Digital solutions for environmental monitoring;
  • Smart technologies for cities and coastal communities;
• Innovation and digitalization – challenges for maritime business;
• Incentives for the introduction of innovative technologies for low-carbon development of maritime business – the government’s position;
• Startups – measures to stimulate young innovators.

Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Georgi Angelov, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Innovation and Growth

Eli Shtereva, European Projects Manager at F6S, manages the local and regional authorities funding program within the iMERMAID project

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Husein Yemandzhiev, Burgas State University, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Center of Competence “Clean Technologies for Circular Economy”, Manager of ENOVA H2O – a Bulgarian startup developing innovations for water management and monitoring

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Martin Iliev, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vesselina Zhecheva, Burgas Free University

CLOSING PANEL

Moderator:

Ivelina Vasileva, Member of the Board of the European Commission’s Ocean, Sea and Inland Waters Recovery Mission

• Youth in Action
• Summary from the moderators / summary by the moderator
• Introduction and invitation to the side events – exhibitions; demonstrations
• Closing of the forum and announcement of the next edition

ACCOMPANYING EVENTS

Expo Zone: Exhibition of good practices and project results;

Opening of an exhibition on the occasion of the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the BSEC

Demonstrations & Workshops.