On 29 and 30 September 2017 in the Rectorate of the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" was held successfully the international scientific conference: 4th ESTIDIA conference" Dialogues without Borders: Strategies of interpersonal and inter-group communication ". The scientific event was realized by a scientific network with the participation of Sofia University, ESTIDIA and the Institute of Rhetoric and Communications.
The conference was opened by Prof. Ivanka Mavrodieva, DSc - Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Rhetoric and Communications. Greetings to the participants were made by Deputy Rector of Sofia University Prof. Maria Stoycheva and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy Professor Olya Harizanova.
Prof. Cornelia Ilie from Malmö University, Sweden and President of ESTIDIA (European Society for Transcultural and Interdisciplinary Dialogue) presented the first major report on topic "Challenges of Interpersonal and Intergroup Communication in the Public Sphere," and Prof. Helen Spencer-Othey from Warwick University in the UK - the second one on topic "Managing Relations across Cultures: Challenges, Concepts and Strategies".
In the ten sections and the four workshops took participate over 100 scientists and researchers from 25 countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Israel, Spain, the Netherlands, Romania, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, Russia, Canada, Germany, Korea, Turkey, Bulgaria and etc.
Within the framework of the conference discussed the issues related to digital communication, social networks, online media, communication strategies, and in particular political communication, communication in education and business, intercultural communication, and more.
In the preparation of the conference, Prof. Dr. Yanka Totseva, who was a member of the organizing committee, was also actively involved. During the conference, both with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Margarita Bakracheva presented their report on topic "Stereotypes and social representations as intercultural dialogue facilitators or impediments".
Assoc. Prof. M. Bakracheva was also the leader of the panel: "Globalization and political communication across borders", and Prof. Dr. Y. Totseva on the panel "Intercultural and interpersonal communication".