Bulgarian president, Sofia mayor address Byzantine studies congress in Sofia
In an address to the International Congress of Byzantine Studies Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said that as historian and head of state he was overwhelmed by respect for the role and importance of the millennial Byzantine Empire and went on to voice hopes that the noble effort of researchers would enrich knowledge about it.
Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova also addressed the congress saying that the Bulgarian capital had millennial history and was involved in building Byzantium and Europe the way we know it today. Here, during the final months of his life, Emperor Galerius stopped the persecution of Christians by issuing a decree of tolerance, a unique document whose 1700th anniversary we celebrate this year, Mayor Fandakova said in her address.
From 22 to 27 Aug. Sofia University is hosting the 22nd International Congress of Byzantine Studies. It has attracted some 1200 scholars from 46 countries. The forum with the motto Byzantium without Borders is under UNESCO aegis and under the patronage of President Georgi Parvanov and of Minister of Culture Vezhdi Rashidov. The participants and guests of the congress will see manuscripts dated from 6 to 14 c., part of them under UNESCO aegis. Such a congress is held in Bulgaria for the second time. The first time was in 1934. /Source: BNR/