BIRDS – PARADISE ON EARTH

OPENING:
June 13, 5 p.m., Lovers Bridge

BIRDS – PARADISE ON EARTH

Bulgaria is one of the richest countries in Europe in terms of bird diversity. Over 400 species of birds have been identified in Bulgaria, and the number is constantly growing. Selecting a sample from this colorful and interesting diversity is no easy task. Nevertheless, we have selected about 60 species of birds for this list, some of which are well known and have inspired a number of folk creations, such as the magpie and the goldfinch, as well as rare and endangered species that are returning to our country at the cost of much persistent effort. The latter category includes the white-headed and black vultures and the white-tailed kestrel, which are endangered in Bulgaria and in many other parts of the world. Among our sixty birds, there are some with impressive colorful plumage, such as the bee-eaters and the hoopoe, as well as beautiful singers such as the blackbird and the chaffinch. There are true dwarfs such as the nutcracker and giants such as pelicans, with a wingspan of about 3 meters. Each of these species is impressive and inspires us to observe and protect them!
Global warming caused by harmful emissions threatens the future of all living creatures on our planet. The disappearance of key animal, bird, and plant species is a serious problem that requires urgent measures to limit warming to between 1.5°C and 2°C. Otherwise, this process of change will be beyond our control!
We are witnessing disasters more and more often. Severe floods, uncontrolled forest fires, terrifying storms, and hellish heat waves caused by relentlessly high temperatures are happening all the time. Just a month ago, the Arctic lost an area of ice comparable to the state of Florida. Scientists predict that by 2050, the Arctic ice will disappear without a trace...
Birds are disappearing silently every day
Among the countless gifts of nature that are under threat are birds, which have inspired us for millennia with the beauty and freedom of their flight. But with each passing day, their songs fade and their populations decline. Record high temperatures and changes in ecosystems are forcing birds to cope with unprecedented challenges.
● Declining food sources. Climate change is altering seasons, disrupting food chains, and reducing the availability of sufficient resources. This, in turn, affects birds' ability to find enough food to survive and reproduce.

● Change in migration routes. The serious impact on migration routes could endanger the populations of many valuable species. Have you ever wondered what happens to them if spring comes early? Many birds may arrive at a time when there is not enough food, which could be detrimental to their reproduction. There is also a real danger of collisions with other species or a prolonged lack of suitable food sources during migration.
● Loss of nesting sites: Global warming is causing the loss of vital nesting sites for birds, such as forests and wetlands. Their reduction and drying up is having a serious impact on their habitats.

Fortunately, not everything is irreversible!
We still have a chance to pay attention to harmful emissions and unite to preserve biodiversity and avoid further damage to human health and the global economy. Together, we can take small steps towards change every day. Everyone has a key role to play here—businesses, government institutions, corporations, and every individual who cares about the fate of our planet.

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Protecting the climate, biodiversity, and the environment is a long-standing commitment for Lidl Bulgaria, which has set itself the goal of reducing its operational carbon footprint in Bulgaria by 95% compared to 2019 as part of its climate strategy for 2030. All of the company's buildings use 100% green energy and are certified for green construction (EDGE - Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency) and according to the international standard ISO 50001. In this way, the company confirms its commitment to more rational use and distribution of resources. The company's energy efficiency measures include modern control systems, modern equipment, refrigerated display cases with natural refrigerants, etc.
In 2023, the company launched a pilot deposit system project in 10 cities across the country to encourage responsible consumption and the circular economy, while its plastic targets include a 20% reduction in plastic in its own-brand product packaging, the use of 25% recycled material, and achieving maximum recyclability by 2025.
Lidl Bulgaria works hard with its suppliers not only for their development and prosperity, but also for the certification of their products so that they are produced in a socially fair and environmentally friendly manner. As a result, customers can find over 1,100 certified food and non-food items on Lidl's shelves.
Each of us has the power to contribute to protecting the environment and can do so with small steps.

● Small steps, big changes
In 2020, Lidl Bulgaria, through its most significant socially responsible initiative, "You and Lidl for a Better Life," funded the efforts of Green Balkans to restore the population of the lesser kestrel in the area of Levka village near Svilengrad. For decades, it was believed that this small and beautiful bird did not nest in Bulgaria, but thanks to the project "You and Lidl for a Better Life for the Lesser Kestrel," its population in the Sakar Mountain area is not only increasing but also attracting more and more families with children, school groups, and ornithological tourists, who become ambassadors of nature and participate in nature conservation activities. As part of the project, the nesting habitats of this species were improved, new types of nesting boxes equipped with surveillance cameras were installed, and training courses on the conservation of the species were conducted.
Since 2017, through the "You and Lidl for a Better Life" program, Lidl Bulgaria has funded 23 projects aimed at nature conservation in different regions across the country with a total fund of BGN 180,000. This includes initiatives directly aimed at bird conservation in Bulgaria, such as the "City of Herons" project implemented by the Nadezhda Foundation, the "Conservation and Promotion of White Storks in Belozem" project by the Prosvet Community Center, and others.

By applying quality requirements in the development of the CULTURAMA.ART platform and all its digital products, Accenture demonstrates that technological progress and responsibility towards the planet can go hand in hand.
In developing the CULTURAMA platform and all its digital products, Accenture demonstrates its commitment to protecting the environment. By providing a range of innovative solutions, the company is helping to create a more sustainable world. Here are some of them:
● When not in use (in the evenings and on weekends), development environments are shut down, reducing energy consumption.
● Vendor AWS: In addition to being a leading cloud service provider, AWS is 3.6 times more energy efficient than corporate data centers in the US and 5 times more energy efficient than typical corporate infrastructures in the EU. Amazon is on track to power its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025.
● CDN (Content Delivery Network): The energy required to transmit data over wireless/cable networks is extremely high. CDN is used to reduce network traffic and server load.
● Data compression: According to a study, each gigabyte (GB) of data takes about 2 kWh to transfer over a mobile network. Therefore, by applying appropriate compression techniques, the total energy required for data transmission can be reduced by about 56%.

● Use of energy-efficient notification protocols, reducing emissions by up to 43%.
● The user interface supports dark mode, reducing the carbon footprint of the user interface by approximately 85%.
● Only 0.35g of CO2 is produced each time someone visits culturama.art
● Team members are trained to use best practices in developing green software systems.

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CULTURAMA, Accenture Bulgaria, LIDL Bulgaria, and Wild Sofia together for BIRDS – THE MUSIC OF THE CITY!
With gratitude to everyone who worked on this project: Maciej Szymański, Atanas Grozdanov, Elitsa Hristova, Velizara Tiholova, Nikita Ovsyannikov, Petar Tornev, Georgi Velchev, Georgi Andonov, Toni Borisov, Hristo Prodanov, Liliyan Ivanov, Olga Mushkova, Evelina Kabranska, Lyudmil Atanasov, Hristiyan Petrov, Radoslava Atanasova, Emma Kicheva, Ivayla Peeva, and Viktor Mukhtarov.

Sources: Wild Sofia, Accenture Sustainability Quotient Trainings, Accenture PGQ Assessment tool, Giki Zero, LIDL Bulgaria, Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds.

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About the authors of the photographs:

H.E. Maciej Szymański, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Bulgaria, is a great nature lover, but he is most interested in birds, which he has been actively observing for almost 35 years. He began his adventure with photography in 2001 and since then cannot imagine going out into nature without his camera. He is the author of many photographs published in atlases, books, and magazines (including National Geographic). He has presented his work at dozens of exhibitions.
Photographing birds is one of the most difficult areas of photography. The "models" often inhabit difficult and inaccessible places, are very shy, mobile, active, and do everything they can to prevent the photo from being taken. Therefore, the methods used by the author to get close to them are similar to those used by hunters or special forces—patience, concentration, and special equipment: nets, tents, and camouflage suits. All this is in stark contrast to the suit and tie that are his everyday attire in his profession.

Dr. Atanas Grozdanov was born in Sofia and graduated from the National Natural Sciences and Mathematics High School "Acad. Lyubomir Chakalov." He holds a bachelor's degree in biology, a master's degree in zoology, and a doctorate in zoology from the Faculty of Biology at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. He is the author and co-author of over 40 popular and over 60 scientific articles, book chapters, manuals, and other works related to ornithology, herpetology, and zoology. He is the author and co-author of over 40 popular and over 60 scientific articles, book chapters, manuals, and other publications related to ornithology, herpetology, conservation biology, biological education, etc. He has participated as a leader or expert in over 20 scientific projects dedicated to species studies, monitoring of protected areas, educational developments, etc. He is a lecturer and group leader in the Erasmus Intensive Program in Spain and Portugal. Since 2004, he has been working as an assistant and senior assistant at the Faculty of Biology of Sofia University, where he is currently a member of the Faculty Council and the Academic Council. Guest lecturer at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy and the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. He is the founder of the SKORETS educational platform – a student club for education and development with an ecological center at the Faculty of Biology, which develops students' skills and motivation to study and protect nature, and maintains a living educational collection with hundreds of visitors annually. 

Participant in the preparation of the national biology team and member of the National Commission of the Olympiad. Creator of the "Wild Sofia" page, dedicated to the promotion and protection of wild animals and plants in the urban environment, as well as the social media groups "Amphibians and Reptiles in Bulgaria," "Invasive Species in Bulgaria," and others.

The event is part of the CULTURAMA 2023 FESTIVAL
Organizers: Cultural Perspectives Foundation