Today is International Earth Day

On April 22 we celebrate Earth Day. This year there will also be many events to mark the occasion, as we move to Antarctica.

On Earth Day, the exhibition “Antarctic Ice” by Marina Velikova will be officially opened. From 19:00, residents and guests of Sofia will have the opportunity to see for the first time exceptional photographs from the Ice Continent, presenting the beauty and impressiveness of Antarctica. The exhibition will be held at the Lovers’ Bridge, NDK – one of the open gallery spaces of the Metropolitan Municipality and will be open until May 5, 2024.

The experience of visiting the exhibition is further enhanced by the opportunity to hear Antarctica. Through a QR code, visitors will be able to listen to what Antarctica sounds like. To this end, event organizers advise visitors to bring their mobile devices and headphones. The interactive exhibition is part of Marina Velikova’s project “Antarctica in new dimensions”, which combines photography, music and fine art. The photographic exhibition “The Ice of Antarctica” is the first event of the project. The choice of Earth Day (April 22) for the opening is not accidental, because the project raises important topics for society – climate change, environmental protection and biodiversity. In addition, the project promotes the activity of Bulgarian scientists and their contribution to the study of the unknown continent.

The photos were taken during the 32nd expedition of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, led by Prof. Dr. Hristo Pimpirev. In addition to untouched nature and breathtaking views, the exhibition will present the life and activities of Bulgarian scientists during the expedition. Bulgaria is the only Balkan country that has its own base on the Ice Continent, and from 2022 the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute also has its own ship. In this way, the independence of researchers is promoted and the partnership with other scientific institutes is developed.

The opening of the photography exhibition “The Ice of Antarctica” will be attended by the author of the photos – Marina Velikova and the head of the Bulgarian Antarctic expedition – Prof. Dr. Hristo Pimpirev. They will tell more about the adventures that the realization of the project went through and what is behind each of the images. Organizers will also answer questions from attendees and tell more about upcoming events from the Antarctic in New Dimensions project. /BGNES