A temporary exhibition “The Amazing Vietnam” dedicated to the joint Bulgarian-Vietnamese research on the biodiversity of Vietnam, which had began in 1975, was opened by the Deputy Director of the Museum Prof. Stoyan Beshkov on 12 December at the National Museum of Natural History of BAS. Official guests of the event were Prof. Vu Quang Manh from Hoa Binh University in Hanoi and Assoc. Prof. Ina Aneva, Scientific Secretary of the Biodiversity, Bioresources and Ecology Division at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Simov read a congratulatory address from H.E. Do Hoang Long, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Bulgaria.
Assoc. Prof. Ina Aneva noted in the address of BAS the contribution of the Bulgarian scientists in supporting their Vietnamese colleagues for the development of zoological research, study and conservation of biodiversity of this interesting country and thanked the organizers. “Today, through this exhibition, Vietnam comes alive with its unique ecosystems, diversity of animal and plant species and amazing landscapes. It reminds us of the power of nature and the need to work together to protect it,” Assoc. Prof. Aneva said.
Assoc. Prof. Ina Aneva and Mr. Truong Ngoc Nam, First Secretary, Cultural and Educational Affairs
Prof. Vu Quang Manh delivered his welcome address in Bulgarian and shared his excitement not only about the event but also about meeting his former professors, now scientists at NMNHS-BAS and IBER-BAS, Acad. Vasil Golemanski, DSc. Petar Beron as well as his fellow students – Prof. Boyko Georgiev and Prof. Zdravko Hubenov.
After him, Professor Emeritus of NMNHS-BAS, DSc. Petar Beron, doyen of Bulgarian biospeleology, told about the first scientific expeditions with Vietnamese colleagues, many of whom had completed their higher education in Bulgaria. He noted the contribution of the first Bulgarian scientists who visited Vietnam: Acad. Vasil Golemanski, Prof. Mihail Yosifov, Prof. Zdravko Hubenov, Prof. Christo Pimpirev, Prof. Vasil Popov who collected extremely interesting zoological materials and became the basis for a series of scientific publications.
As the leader of the first Bulgarian-Vietnamese speleo-expedition since 1989, DSc. Petar Beron shared interesting moments from the discovery and mapping of many Vietnamese cave which laid the foundation for the rapid expansion of tourism in the area of Cat Ba and Ha Long Bay, including the newly discovered and mapped by Bulgarians caves in various tourist routes.
Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Simov, a participant in two expeditions of NMNHS-BAS in Vietnam, presented the highlights of the exhibition – the results of the joint zoological expeditions of scientists from the museum and the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research of BAS conducted in 2018 and 2023.
“These expeditions are extremely successful because they not only enrich scientific knowledge about the region but also contribute to raising awareness about the need to protect biodiversity. “The Amazing Vietnam” exhibition showcases our scientific discoveries but it is also a symbol of international cooperation and efforts to conserve the unique nature of this part of the world,” Assoc. Prof. Simov said.
The authors of the concept for the exhibition are Assoc. Prof. Rostislav Bekchiev, Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Simov and Assoc. Prof. Mario Langurov, and the design is by Dr. Zlatka Yaramova.
