The Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens and Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, organised the ‘Connecting Civil Society for Cultural Heritage’ conference, gathering in Athens representatives from 23 Civil Society Organizations across Southeastern Europe and the Caucasus on April 8-9, 2024. The event was part of the EU-funded European Heritage Hub pilot project.
During the two-day conference, participants engaged in interactive workshops designed to enhance cross-border cooperation across the Balkans, Turkey, and the Caucasus.
The European Heritage Hub and regional hubs across Europe play a vital role in fostering dialogue and collaborative action. The goals of both projects were presented by Manon Richard, Project Manager of the European Heritage Hub, and Stavroula Thravalou, Project Coordinator of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens.
The Athens conference not only strengthened connections within civil society but also established a crucial link with the EU capital in Brussels. Stefan Zotti, Team Leader of DG Education and Culture of the European Commission, delivered an encouraging speech, stating, “We are missing examples of concrete actions on the ground. This is why we strongly rely on the approach and potential of the Regional and European Heritage Hubs.”
Additionally, a live link was established with the European Commission’s Expert Group on Cultural Heritage, meeting concurrently in Brussels. This connection allowed for the active role of the regional Athens Hub to be showcased and the main outcomes of the conference to be shared.
Participants were warmly welcomed at a networking reception hosted by Haris Doukas, the Mayor of Athens, at City Hall. He remarked, “Civil society is our natural ally to create a new path for growth and sustainable development in cities.”
During the reception, Europa Nostra, Elliniki Etairia, and the Municipality of Athens renewed their cooperation to support and operate the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens. As demonstrated by the Athens conference, such partnerships are essential to continue promoting sustainable development, community engagement, and the safeguarding of our shared cultural heritage.
