site.btaWorld GIS Day Celebrated with Two Conferences in Sofia

Two conferences marking World GIS Day will be held in Sofia on Wednesday, bringing together participants from a range of sectors to discuss the latest developments in geospatial technologies.

The first conference, organised by GIS Alliance at the Hyatt Regency Sofia hotel, will be held under the motto Smart GIS for Sustainable Development. Environment and Water Minister Manol Genov is expected to be the official guest at the opening. Welcoming remarks will be delivered by Executive Director of the Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre Agency (GCCA) Georgi Georgiev, and Teodosii Teodosiev, public figure and lecturer.

The special guest speaker at the conference will be Stelian Dimitrov from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. He will present on the topic Digital Geographic Replication of Urbanized Areas – A Prerequisite for Adequate Adaptation to Climate Change, Threats and Risks.

The second conference will take place at the Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia and is organised by Esri Bulgaria. The GIS event is expected to bring together participants from various sectors, including State administration, local government, business, education, and non-governmental organisations. Both international and Bulgarian experts will present the latest trends, solutions, and best practices in geospatial technologies. The conference will showcase innovative GIS applications and completed projects across sectors including environment, security, transportation, infrastructure, education, healthcare, resource management, and more.

The special guest speaker at the forum is Bruno Combal, Policy Officer at the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission. He will present the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and the Habitats Directive and the Natura 2000 network.

Alongside the conference, a virtual exhibition will open, showcasing projects from the National Educational Competition Exploring the World with GIS, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Education and Science.

Annual awards for special achievements in GIS will also be presented, recognizing organisations, teams, and experts who have contributed to the development of geospatial technologies in Bulgaria.