On October 10 – 11, 2025, the Confucius Institute at “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo held the XII International Academic Conference on “Diplomatic, Economic, and Cultural Relations between China and Countries in Central and Eastern Europe.” The event also marked the 76th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria.
The forum was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Iskra Mandova, PhD, Bulgarian Director of the Confucius Institute at Veliko Tarnovo University.
Opening speeches were delivered by Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, PhD, Rector of Veliko Tarnovo University; Mrs. Yulia Likomanova-Mutafchieva, Regional Governor of Veliko Tarnovo Region; Mr. Neyko Genchev, Deputy Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo; Assoc. Prof. Polina Tsontcheva, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages; and Mr. Mihail Mikov, Chairperson of the 42nd National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.
H.E. Ms. Dai Qingli, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria, sent a congratulatory address to the participants.
Among the VIP attending the opening ceremony were Prof. Dong Yuanxing, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute; Mr. Angel Apostolov, an expert and China Desk officer at the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria; mayors and deputy mayors of the municipalities of Targovishte, Chavdar, Pernik, Razgrad, etc. Distinguished guests included Prof. Plamen Legkostup, Honorary Chair of the CI’s BOA; Prof. Aleksandar Nikolov, PhD, Chair of the General Assembly of Sofia University and Deputy Chair of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Education; and many school principals. More than 100 experts and scholars from various universities and academic institutions, including those from Bulgaria, China, Romania, and the Czech Republic, as well as lecturers and doctoral students, took part in the conference.
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