Srebarna
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) unites humanity's effort to preserve and promote the world cultural and natural heritage.
According to the definition in the Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural heritage adopted by UNESCO in the conference in Paris in 1972, natural heritage is: "precisely delineated natural sites or areas of outstanding universal values from the point of view of science, conservation or their unique natural beauty"
One of these natural sites listed in UNESCO is the Srebarna Nature Reserve. In 1975 Srebarna is included in the Ramsar Convention on the Wetlands of International Importance. In 1977 is recognized as biospheric reserve from the list of UNESCO. In 1983 is included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural heritage list.
Reunion
You're looking at photos presenting the natural heritage of Reunion island (in French: La Réunion) in the Indian Ocean. Geographically it is located in Africa, to the east of the island of Madagascar and southwest of Muaritius but it is a French department, part of the 32 overseas territoires of the European Union. The photos are taken by Dr. Diana Bebenova-Nikolova during her participation in the entrepreneur training within the project "Start-up Lighthouse" funded by the Erasmus+ program.
Reunion island is the treasury of flora and fauna. That is why 40% of it is listed in the World Cultural and Natural heritage list of UNESCO. The low plantation is in abundance of not only cacti but also amazing colorful Codiaeum, baobab trees and different types of palm trees. The island abounds in gorgeous blooming Bougainvillea in varieties of colors: like the ones known here red and pink also creamy, white and light orange. The origin of this plant are the south American highlands where the French admiral Louie Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811) found it and brought it to Europe. It is unbelievable how the Bougainvillea ended up on the island and grew in rich colorful bushes and trees.
China
You're looking at photos presenting the natural heritage of city Wuhan, China. The photos were taken by Dr. Diana Bebenova-Nikolova during her specialization at the University of Hubei, Wuhan within Erasmus+ program.
Wuhan is an administrative center of the province Hubei and the most populated city in Central China, with population of around 12 million people located on the bank of the river Yangtze. In our country it is known as the city where COVID-19 started. Actually, the local government strives to preserve the natural heritage and to present it through the Botanical Garden, which was founded in 1956 and opened to the public in 1958. It has 16 specialty gardens. The photos of this exhibition show the garden of water lilies and that of the roses. The five designer elements in the classic Chinese garden design are also displayed: water, plants, architecture, rocks and openwork windows (so called borrowed views).
The landscape design is deeply influenced by the Daoism and Confucianism, the main philosophies and systems of beliefs in the Chinese culture. The Chinese Garden requires strong faith in the union of nature as the source of reverence, magic and subsistence. There is one main difference in designing Japanese and Chinese gardens. In the Japanese gardens the greenery of the bush is more important than the flowers and so the bushes are trimmed to reach the "perfect beauty". In China the trees and bushes are trimmed to achieve a natural look and their flowers, fruit and leaves are displayed.
We are also displaying photos from the East Lake, which is close to the Botanical Garden. It is a favorite place for walks of the people of Wuhan because it offers living rest and green environment in the 24 million city as well as tours with typical Jon boats.
