SOFIA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The 40th World Congress of Vine and Wine kicked off here on Monday, bringing together more than 1,000 delegates from 46 countries and regions.
"Vine and Wine: Science and Economy, Culture and Education" is the general theme of the five-day event, which also offers a rich scientific program.
Climate change challenge, renewable energy and new market prospects are among a slew of other topics dominating the scheduled presentations.
Rumen Porodzanov, Bulgaria's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, said at the opening ceremony that the congress would contribute to shaping the policies in the sector over the coming years.
Meanwhile, the event would boost the global interest in Bulgarian wines, Porodzanov said.
Bulgarian Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelova, who also participated in the opening ceremony, said that her country has all the prerequisites to become one of the most preferred destinations for wine tourism.
According to Angelkova, Bulgaria now has more than 230 wine cellars, which help the development of wine tourism.
