“Bulgaria already has nine sites in the UNESCO list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” but the country has more to include under the protection of the organisation, including in respect of cultural heritage. This was said today by UNESCO Director-General at a meeting at 2 Dondoukov Boulevard with President Rosen Plevneliev.

Bokova is on an official visit to Bulgaria for the opening of the UNESCO Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Southeast Europe.

Rosen Plevneliev briefed Irina Bokova on Bulgaria's efforts to promote its cultural and historical heritage with the support of the European Regional Development Fund, through which more than 300 million leva is provided for sites of national and international significance. The President emphasised Bulgaria’s interest in manuscripts in Glagolitic and Cyrillic scripts being included on the list of intangible cultural heritage.

Bokova expressed satisfaction with the efforts by state institutions to maintain Nessebar and the Pirin National Park on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage. She said that it takes a transparent dialogue between the public, local and national authorities to define and carry out development policies that preserve cultural monuments.

At the meeting, Irina Bokova praised Bulgaria’s active participation in the work of UNESCO and noted Bulgaria’s contribution to the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. Plevneliev President noted the importance of UNESCO’s work in South Eastern Europe, and especially the organization’s contribution to the promotion of good-neighbourly relations on the basis of intercultural dialogue. President Plevneliev emphasised that Bulgaria would continue in the future to support mutual understanding on the Balkans and the joint celebration of our common history and traditions.

Irina Bokova extended an invitation to the Bulgarian President, which he accepted, to participate in discussions on environmental protection, issues of sustainable development and oceanographic programs of UNESCO, to be held during the "Rio +20" summit in Brazil in June 2012.