Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Chinses Studies hosted on 12 – 13 December 2019 the international conference entitled "China and the World: Language, Culture and Politics", organized jointly with Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China.
The event was opened in the Aula Magna of the Rectorate by Prof. Dr. Alexander Alexiev from the Department of Chinese Studies at the Faculty of Classical and Modern Philology. Prof. Maria Stoycheva, Vice-Rector of Sofia University, greeted all the participants and presented Sofia University as the oldest and most prestigious educational and research center in the country with a 130-year history. She also pointed out that as a member of the European Union, Bulgaria has an important role regarding the relations between China and the Union. In her speech, Prof. Stoycheva also touched upon the topic of good cooperation between Sofia University and a number of Chinese universities.
Prof. Ivan Ilchev, Rector of Sofia University in the period 2007-2015, welcomed everyone and pointed out that the teaching of Chinese language, history and culture at the University is going through various stages in its development. He spoke about the relations between Sofia University and various Chinese institutions, as well as the exchange of teachers and students between the two countries. Prof. Ilchev pointed out that Sinology has always been very popular in Bulgaria and wished upon all students in the specialty success in life and good health.
Prof. Madlen Danova, Dean of the Faculty of Classical and Modern Philology, noted that she was happy to attend such an impressive conference and claimed that she was confident that everyone will leave Sofia University enriched by what they hear and discuss with their colleagues. Prof. Danova pointed out that behind such large-scale events is a lot of effort on the organizers part and expressed her genuine gratitude to them. "It is an honor for the Faculty of Classical and Modern Philology and Sofia University to host this academic forum," said Prof. Danova and wished them success, to enjoy their stay in Sofia and have many fruitful discussions.
The main speakers at the academic forum were Dr. Paul G. Clifford (a non-resident senior research fellow at Harvard University's J. F. Kennedy School of Management and author of “The China Paradox - At the Front Line of Economic Transformation”), and Prof. Dr. Richard T. Griffiths - Honorary Professor of International Studies at Leiden University and Research Fellow at the International Institute for Asian Studies, author of ‘Revitalizing the Silk Road. China’s Belt and Road initiative in context ’(2017) and‘ The New Silk Road: Challenge and Response ’(2019).
Bulgaria is the second country in the world to recognize the People's Republic of China just a day after the grand proclamation ceremony on October 1, 1949, in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. In the following days, only a few countries in the world - Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland - all from the Eastern Block, followed the example. This forum provides an excellent opportunity for scholars and students from all these countries to share valuable information and experience on a wide range of topics regarding China's development over the past seven decades.
The conference, organized by the Departments of Chinese Studies at Sofia University and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China, brings together leading European and East Asian scholars, challenging them to engage with the important topic of China's growing role in Central and Eastern Europe - especially in the Balkans, as an integral part of the European Union. The aim of the forum is to bring together experts who can discuss their valuable observations, conclusions, thoughts and ideas, which can then be collected, summarized and presented to the general academic community.
The conference covers reports on the following topics: tradition and new trends in Chinese linguistics; tradition and new trends in translation: audio-video translation; study of Chinese literature: problems of literary translation; the perfect Chinese textbook - from beginners to advanced; the importance of Chinese language and culture in teaching Sinology students at university level; Chinese culture in the 21st century - tradition and modernity; Chinese art - past and present; Chinese religions and their dialogue with the modern world; Chinese social and cultural psychology in the 21st century; social change in China; local government in China; China and gender issues; the Belt and Road initiative and the Balkan Silk Road; relations between China and the countries of Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and the Indo-Pacific region; China and the world in the 20th and 21st centuries - between conflict and coexistence