Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marina Stefanova is Deputy Dean of Sustainable Development, Support and Engagement at the Faculty of Economics, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and Director of the Master’s Program “Responsible and Sustainable Management”. At the beginning of this year, Assoc. Stefanova realized a dream of hers – to create an immersive experience that makes science and the important messages of planetary conservation accessible and understandable. The Kaleidoscope Mobile Visual Science Center will be part of this year’s festival to showcase a new perspective on the presentation of scientific data, through the World at Risk and Hope for the Future experiences.
Tell us more about your inspiration and reasons for turning to digital art to convey important messages for the future of the planet?
I believe that today more than ever, scientific facts and discoveries have a place in the daily flow of information – to inform, alarm, and guide civic and consumer decisions. On the other hand, every time has its means of expression and channels of communication. New generations live with the dynamism and beauty of new technologies, for them they are a natural environment and it is our responsibility to translate our ideas and messages into their language – fast, concise, impressive, expressive.
Who are the messages of the immersive experience “World at Risk” and “Hope for the Future” aimed at?
The most important audience for our experiences are adolescents and learners. They are ready to hear, looking to understand what our world looks like, what challenges and opportunities it presents to new generations. The topic of sustainable development is interesting, multifaceted, provocative and leaves no one indifferent. And during LUNAR our audience is common – all citizens and guests of the capital, their families, friends and colleagues.
What made you decide to join the LUNAR programme?
MP-STUDIO have been our partners since the inception of the idea for Kaleidoscope. Thanks to their courage, support and shared values, we were able to translate statistics and data streams into memorable images and impactful messages. It is a natural fit to participate in the largest visual arts festival they organize on Bulgarian territory.
How do these types of events change the environment in which we live?
People share common experiences. Art and science go out into the street and into their hearts forever. Our city comes alive. It becomes cosier and more colourful. For me, these festivals – of the visual arts and of science – add to Sofia’s emblem the definitions of a modern city vibrating to the rhythm of time.
The festival aims to become an annual event. What do you imagine its tenth edition to look like?
This is a wonderful question. There are more than 50 destinations. We have 20 immersive experiences to share on sustainability themes of biodiversity, circular economy, waste reduction and water conservation, human rights practices and sustainable business models. Volunteers in this edition come with their grown-up children and/or the teams of the companies they manage. We host young people and scientists from Central and Eastern Europe and the festival lasts ten days.
About Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marina Stefanova:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marina Stefanova is Deputy Dean of Sustainable Development, Support and Engagement at the Faculty of Economics, Sofia University. She is the Head of the Department of Sustainability at Sofia University. She is the Director of the Master’s Program “Responsible and Sustainable Governance” and the Manager of ESG Lab and ESG Academy. She is the President of the Association of Sustainability Professionals. Executive Director of the FEB Foundation and the brainchild of the Kaleidoscope Mobile Centre for Visual Science.
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