In a hybrid event held on Thursday 19 December the regional heritage hub of Europa Nostra — the Athens Heritage Hub — presented its new networking tools and activities. The event, held at the offices of the Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET) in Plaka, Athens, featured opening remarks by Mr. Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens; Mrs. Lydia Carras, Founder and President of ELLET; and Mrs Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra and Project Leader of the European Heritage Hub. Representatives from Georgia, Armenia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Türkiye, and Bulgaria joined the discussion online. The joint initiatives of ELLET and the Municipality of Athens to protect architectural heritage in the historic center of Athens were highlighted in the framework of their collaboration for the Athens Heritage Hub.
Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens launches new networking tools and website.
In his address, Mr. Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens, emphasised the role of cities in advancing strategies for cultural heritage protection. Mrs. Lydia Carras, Founder and President of Elliniki Etairia, thanked Europa Nostra for their long-standing collaboration and for entrusting ELLET with coordinating the regional Heritage Hub for Southeast Europe, Türkiye, and the Caucasus. Mrs. Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, Secretary General of Europa Nostra and Project Leader of the European Heritage Hub, underscored the need to strengthen democratic institutions as a necessary framework for promoting cultural values. She also announced the 3rd Forum of the EU-funded European Heritage Hub pilot project to be held in Montenegro in April 2025.
The new website of the Athens Heritage Hub will serve as a vital tool for connecting heritage organisations South Eastern Europe, Türkiye, and the Caucasus. The Coordinator of the Athens Heritage Hub, Mrs. Stavroula Thravalou, showcased networking tools developed under the European Heritage Hub pilot project, the new regional Hub website (www.athenshub.org), capacity-building opportunities for civil society organisations, and methods for public engagement. Her presentation also shared preliminary findings on the needs, challenges, and opportunities faced by civil society organisations working in cultural heritage across the Hub’s covered regions. Representatives from Georgia, Armenia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Türkiye, and Bulgaria participated in the discussion online.
ELLET announces updated framework for collaboration with the Municipality of Athens.
The Scientific Director of the Athens Hub and President of ELLET’s Council for Architectural Heritage, Mrs. Eleni Maistrou, unveiled joint initiatives between ELLET and the Municipality of Athens within their Athens Heritage Hub collaboration. ELLET will document the conservation state of historic buildings in Athens’ historic center. It will also provide advisory support for a pilot project to restore and improve the energy efficiency of a historic building owned by the Municipality of Athens.
More information: Agenda Athens Hub website launch
* All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this document shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.