European Maritime Day Once Again Marked at BFU

Burgas Free University will once again celebrate European Maritime Day (EMD) – 20 May – with a dedicated event, this time as a regional activity linked to the annual forum opening today in Limassol, Cyprus. At the proposal of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marusya Lyubcheva, Chair of the Black Sea Institute, and in partnership with the Institute, on 19 June at 10:00 a.m. in Room 208, BFU will host a regional EMD event titled “Strategic Approaches to the Development of the Black Sea Region and Bulgaria’s National Vision for the Black Sea.”

This regional EMD event is dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of the birth of the patron of the Open-Source Laboratory on Maritime Law, Doctor Honoris Causa of Burgas Free University, long‑time lecturer and member (until his very last days) of the University Board — Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. Alexander Yankov.

In 2018, Burgas Municipality hosted at Burgas Free University the three‑day event organised by the Directorate‑General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, which gathered more than 500 representatives from around the world and ministers from the Black Sea region. The event in the BFU atrium was opened by the then Commissioner for Environment and Maritime Affairs Mr. Karmenu Vella. Mr. Vella is now an honorary member of the newly established European Ocean Board, where BFU is the only representative from the Black Sea and Eastern European regions. At the first meeting of the Board, chaired by the current Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Mr. Costas Kadis, he sent his warmest greetings for EMD’26 to the Rector of the University, Prof. Milen Baltov.

Happy European Maritime Day!