The Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute and the “St. Kliment Ohridski” University Library had the pleasure of opening the exhibition “The Black Sea in European Cartography” in the Central Foyer of the Rectorate of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute.

The Director of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, Ms. Tanya Mihaylova, and the Director of the University Library, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilyana Yavrukova, welcomed the guests at the opening, including diplomats, university lecturers, researchers, partners of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, as well as the newly appointed trainee attachés at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Institute’s 20th cohort. Dr. Atanas Orachev from the Black Sea Strandzha Association and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Gruev, Chairman of the State Archives Agency, also addressed the guests at the opening.

The exhibition was created as part of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute’s long-standing cartographic project “The Sea Brings Together All That Is Distant” and has been presented on numerous occasions at high-level events in Bulgaria and abroad — at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, at the Headquarters of the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) in Istanbul, as well as in Paris, Tbilisi, Tehran, Chisinau, Constanța, Burgas and Nessebar.

The exhibition traces the history and development of European cartography in the Black Sea region through 19 panels in English, highlighting the strategic importance of the Black Sea region from Antiquity to the present day, as well as the dialogue and cultural and historical ties among the countries of the region. It was realised with the support of the State Archives Agency of the Republic of Bulgaria, the GEOPAN International Centre and the Black Sea Strandzha Association.

The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Svetlozar Kovachev (1958–2025), a long-serving staff member of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute and the conceptual creator and curator of the exhibition. His contribution was highlighted during the opening ceremony.

At the end of the ceremony, Ms. Mihaylova donated a rare historical map of Asia from the collection of Svetlozar Kovachev to the University Library’s collection.

The exhibition will remain on display in the Central Foyer of the Rectorate of Sofia University until 2 October.