EE Ministerial Round Table and Expert meeting – Sarajevo, 22-23 November 2012

1. Science Policy Ministerial Meetings of South East Europe
Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Expert Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation for South East Europe
22-23 November 2012
Phytochemistry for sustainable development in SEE
“Southeast European Network on Phytochemistry
and Chemistry of Natural Products for Green and
Sustainable Growth”
(SEE PhytoChemNet)
Prof. Vladimir Dimitrov – Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of
Phytochemistry

2. Under the aegis of UNESCO and IUPAC in the International
Year of Chemistry 2011, with the encouragement of the
Advisory Board of the International Basic Science
Programme of UNESCO and the support of the Division of
Basic Sciences in the Sector of Natural Sciences of
UNESCO and the UNESCO Venice Office (BRESCE), nine
countries from Southeast Europe – Bulgaria, Croatia,
Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia,
Turkey – created in 2011
“Southeast European Network on Phytochemistry and
Chemistry of Natural Products for Green and Sustainable
Growth”
(SEE PhytoChemNet)
The Network is open to any other country from the region.

3. Background of the Thematic Area of Interest
In a world with growing population (expected for year 2050 - 9
billion people) the utilization of the available natural resources in a
best possible way is of highest priority. Significant part of the
natural resources for a given region is the local biodiversity (plants
and herbs, fungi, organisms etc.).
Natural product derived from plants, herbs and other natural
sources have been used for centuries as the basis of preventive
and cosmetic products, and therapeutic substances within
traditional medicine practices.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that around 80%
of the world’s population relied on medicinal plants as their primary
healthcare. In industrialized countries, plant-based traditional
medicines or phytotherapeutics are often termed complementary
or alternative medicine, and their use has increased steadily over
the last years. In the USA alone, the total estimated “herbal” sales
for 2005 were $4.4 billion, a significant increase from $2.5 billion in
1995.

4. The Basic Idea of the Network
Being in a climatically favorable environment, the Balkan
Peninsula has a rich biodiversity (medicinal and aromatic plants,
organisms etc.) with high potential for utilization and
development of products with high added value for applications in
the area of
Quality of life
In particularly the phytochemistry and the chemistry of natural
products offer a chance for developing sound economy based on
knowledge with high added value.
Activities:
Biodiversity Products with high
•Scientific research,
(medicinal and aromatic added value
technological
•Nutraceuticals
plants and organisms) development and
•Cosmetic
innovations
•Drug candidates
•Technology transfer
•Production (SME)

5. The strategic goal of SEE PhytoChemNet – utilization of
the local biodiversity to search for biologically active
compounds for applications (biomedical, cosmetic,
functional food etc.) and commercialization.
Science
Technological development SME
Innovation

6. The Background of the Initiative
Institute of Organic
Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry
(Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
The Centre of Phytochemistry was founded in 1977,
within a joint project of the Bulgarian Government,
UNDP and UNESCO for scientific and applied research
and training of specialists.

7. “Southeast European Network on Phytochemistry and
Chemistry of Natural Products for Green and Sustainable
Growth”
(SEE PhytoChemNet)
• Brain-storming meeting (May 2011)
• Kick-off meeting (September 2011):
• Steering committee meeting (May 2012)
Examples of activities:
•Project Proposal UNESCO Participation Program “Innovative
Approaches for Better Utilization of Local Biodiversity in SEE
Based on Ethnopharmacology”
•SME collaborations in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia
Active participants: Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia,
Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey
The Network is open to any other country from the region

8. Important Links – New Opportunities
Danube Strategy
Black Sea
SEE
Economic
PhytoChemNet Cooperation
NASAC
The Network of African
Science Academies
The link was established through the
cooperation with UNESCO and EASAC

9. The Concept and the Activities of
“Southeast European Network on Phytochemistry and Chemistry of
Natural Products for Green and Sustainable Growth”
(SEE PhytoChemNet)
are highly relevant to
Europe 2020
THE POLICY CONTEXT OF SMART SPECIALISATION
• smart growth, based on knowledge and innovation;
• sustainable growth, promoting a more resource efficient,
greener and competitive economy;
• inclusive growth, fostering a high employment economy
delivering economic, social and territorial cohesion.

10. UNESCO-BRESCE deserves special
recognition the continuous support
and the encouragement provided to
the creation and sustainable
development of scientific
collaborative networks in some fields
of high regional importance like that I
just described
Thank You for Your
Attention
Silybum marianum Laburnum
(milk thistle) (golden chain)
Carsil (Silymarin) Tabex (Cytisine)