Speech of Markus Repnik, World Bank Country Manager for Bulgariaat the launch of the report “Going for Smart Growth: Making Research and Innovation Work for Bulgaria.”
Sofia, 7 February 2012,
OPENING REMARKS
Good morning everybody.
Dear Ministers, participants. Great that you are here with us today.
Thank you all for joining us at the Innovation Forum.
Thank you for joining Minister Ignatov, Deputy Minister Hubenova, and World Bank Vice President Devan for a discussion on a crucially important topic: How to make research and innovation work for Bulgaria.
I am particularly pleased to welcome you here at the Museum for Contemporary Art. One important aspect of innovation is to transform something known into something new, to put something existing into a new context. In this sense, this building is a wonderful showcase of innovation, it is indeed a very special venue for a forum on innovation.
I am also pleased to welcome you at the Museum just a few hours before the opening of a new exhibition by French artist StepK. I see the role of art and artists in challenging our thinking, in stimulating us to go beyond what we know. And as humankind, we need to urgently challenge our thinking, we need to find new and more sustainable ways to ensure well-being of all citizens, today and tomorrow. Globally, we are confronted with unprecedented economic, social and environmental challenges. We need to do many things in new ways, we need to go beyond business as usual. We need to innovate – globally and in Bulgaria.
And this is what brings us together today: how to innovate,
how to make research and innovation work for Bulgaria.
We have organized our today’s event around three guiding questions:
First, How can Bulgaria make a quantum leap on research and innovation? Ministers Ignatov and Hubenova and Vice President Devan will open the forum by addressing this question.
Second, What are the opportunities for Bulgaria? My World Bank colleague Gabriel Goddard and Renaldo Mandmets from the European Commission have prepared presentations on this topic.
And third, we want to stimulate a lively discussion on What are the most important things to do In order to make research and innovation work for Bulgaria? What should the private sector do? What should academia do? And what should the Government do? The discussion will be moderated by my colleague Gerardo Corrochano, Director for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship at the World Bank.
CLOSING REMARKS
Ladies and Gentlemen, Let me express my sincere appreciation for your today’s participation at our innovation forum. We discussed many good ideas. And new ideas are the basis for any innovation; but unless one acts on them, they remain just ideas. We all are in leadership positions in private sector, academia, international organizations and Government. Hence, it is up to us to translate these ideas into action. It is up to us to INNOVATE.
Thank you very much and good-bye.
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