A two-day scientific conference on Activity 9 of the project "Save nature to save the future", CB005.2.12.112, was held in Dimitrovgrad on 19 and 20 August 2021. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Cross-Border Cooperation Program INTERREG - IPA Bulgaria - Turkey 2014 - 2020, and partners are the Chamber of Agriculture - Meric and CEIBG Haskovo.
The host of the event was the chairman of CEIBG - Haskovo Stefan Dimitrov, and guests - the Turkish partners from the Chamber of Agriculture - Meric. Agricultural producers from Haskovo district and Edirne region also took an active part in the conference. A total of 50 farmers participated in the two days of the Joint Conference on Environmental Awareness.
"Business and agriculture cannot prosper without science. Farmers and hard-working farmers see the future of their regions in the development of agriculture, but it is related to nature conservation. It is no coincidence that the project is called "Save nature to save the future." So let's protect Thrace together, so that our children can stay and live here! ”- said Stefan Dimitrov in his greeting at the opening of the conference. He thanked all those present and gave the floor to the Vice-Rector of the Thracian University - Edirne Prof. Murat Turkelmaz. As the project manager, he explained that the project partnership is extremely fruitful and is already yielding results. He expressed hope that he would work together with CEIBG - Haskovo on other developments that would benefit society.
During the conference, soil research in the border areas of Bulgaria and Turkey was presented. On the Bulgarian side, lecturers were some of the authors of the study, Prof. Alexi Alexiev and Prof. Ivan Manolov from the Agricultural University - Plovdiv. The study from the Turkish side was presented by Prof. Ahmed Atakishi from the Thracian University - Edirne. One of the main conclusions of the study was that we can preserve the land if we make efforts to prevent erosion and practice balanced fertilization. Reducing soil, water and air pollution is also among the main recommendations in the studies.
After the conference, the guests visited local landmarks, such as the Church of the Assumption in the village of Uzundzhovo and the Alexander Tomb. They also visited the statue of the Mother of God in Haskovo.
The joint conference is an important part of the implementation of the project activities. It provided an opportunity to meet farmers, to establish contacts and exchange experiences between them. Relations between people on both sides of the border, with an interest in agriculture and environmental protection, are a key element in improving and deepening cross-border cooperation.