26.05.2026
The third day of the “Kragovrat” Festival brought together scientists, journalists, and members of the academic community in the “The Egg” Hall at the Rectorate of Sofia University. The event was opened by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marina Stefanova, Vice-Dean for Sustainability, Empowerment and Engagement at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Sofia University, who spoke about the “Kaleidoscope” Center for Visual Science, focused on discussing the world and the future in a human language.
The guests were welcomed by Acad. Prof. Dr. Toni Spassov, Vice-Rector of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanas Georgiev, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University. They emphasized the importance of the connection between science, education, and society in the context of climate and technological challenges.
The discussion that followed, titled “Science Communication”, featured journalist and author of the documentary film “Iceberg in Emona Bay” Maria Cherneva, Katya Vasileva from the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Rositsa Yaneva from the National Center for Polar Studies, and Lyubov Kostova, co-founder and Chair of the Board of the “Beautiful Science” Foundation. The conversation focused on how scientific topics can be presented in an understandable and accessible way and why society increasingly needs high-quality science communication.
Maria Cherneva stressed that one of journalism’s most important tasks is to make science closer to people.
“Topics related to climate and science often seem distant and abstract until you see the person behind them. When you show the scientists and the fieldwork process, science becomes more relatable and understandable,” she said.
Katya Vasileva highlighted the role of the media as a bridge between the scientific community and society.
“One of the greatest challenges in science communication is translating scientific language into human language. People do not connect with terms and statistics, but with stories and a sense of personal connection to the topic. Science is everywhere around us, and it is important to realize that”, she noted.
According to her, journalism plays a key role in building trust in scientific knowledge and countering disinformation.
Rositsa Yaneva from the National Center for Polar Studies pointed out that science communication is especially important when it comes to climate change and polar research.
“What is happening in Antarctica affects every single one of us. The processes there are directly linked to climate change and to the way we will live in the future,” she emphasized.
Lyubov Kostova focused on the need to make science more visible and accessible to young people.
“Science should not remain confined to laboratories and academic publications. Science communication means showing why knowledge matters to society and how it affects our lives. Stories and visual storytelling are precisely what make science closer to people”, she said, just one day after the 16th Sofia Science Festival brought together thousands of students from across the country to present the world around us in an engaging and attractive way.
Following the discussion, the documentary film “Iceberg in Emona Bay” by Maria Cherneva was screened. The film takes viewers to the Bulgarian base on Livingston Island in Antarctica and reveals the work of scientists in one of the planet’s most extreme environments, where climate change can be observed in real time. Maria Cherneva also spoke about life in Antarctica and answered questions from the audience after the screening.
The initiative is held with the institutional support of the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
The festival is organized with the support of: UBB; ASU; Siemens; Paysafe; Promeni Kartinkata.
Media partners: ESGnews.bg; Manager; Enterprise; Capital; Dnevnik; KNext; dir.bg; B2B Media; Obekti.