As part of Task 7.4 “Dissemination and exploitation activities”, 4CH is organising a series of interviews with the project partners and local stakeholders. The interviews are aimed at starting the discussion between experts about their possible contributions to the establishment of a future Competence Centre. Moreover, the interviews offer the general public the opportunity to explore the 4CH project through the lenses of Cultural Heritage professionals and researchers. The speakers analyse several topics related to Cultural Heritage, such as digitisation, innovation, data management, and other related fields, with the primary purpose of:

  • Promoting the 4CH partners’ expertise and contributions to the project, including future exploitation activities;
  • Boosting the local communities’ engagement through the involvement of local stakeholders;
  • Offering an overview of the real differences that exist within European Cultural Heritage;
  • Reinforcing the project’s network with a view to the establishment of the Competence Centre.

4CH Interviews – Nikolas Bakirtzis in conversation with Agni Petridou

Agni Petridou is a conservation architect & urban planner, and consultant to the Nicosia Municipality. She has extensive experience in the conservation and management of Cultural Heritage in Cyprus. In an interview with her, Nikolas Bakirtzis, Associate Professor at the Cyprus Institute and part of the 4CH local team, discusses the topic of Cultural Heritage conservation and how the future Competence Centre can implement actions at national and international levels. Agni Petridou underlines the importance of such a centre, especially in Cyprus, to fill the gap in coordination and policies in the field of conservation. The problem is the diversity of approaches among stakeholders and the lack of a common language, which prevents the implementation of agreed solutions. Ms Petridou goes on to highlight some of the priority issues in Cyprus, such as the historic city of Nicosia, the importance of urban and landscape conservation, and areas such as the Buffer Zone, the segment of the city that has been stuck since the formal division of Cyprus in 1974. In this context, Ms Petridou proposes that the Competence Centre will work with bi-communal initiatives, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, and with already established mechanisms such as the Technical Committee and the Nicosia Master Plan. Agni Petridou would like the future Competence Centre to coordinate local institutions and take a leading role in the preservation of cultural heritage, to identify some common strategies for intervention.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Sorin Hermon in conversation with Androulla Vassiliou

Androulla Vassiliou is a former European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth and is currently Vice-President of Europa Nostra. Drawing on her experience in policy making and her extensive knowledge of Europe and Cyprus, Sorin Hermon discusses with her what should be expected from the future Competence Center in terms of policy making and cultural heritage. Ms Vassiliou emphasises the need to promote a more inclusive cultural heritage, including not only tangible but also intangible heritage, such as training people in old skills to preserve them for the future. She also underlines the need to take into account different types of heritage, such as natural and industrial heritage. Ms Vassiliou stresses the need to develop strategies to involve the community in the preservation of cultural heritage and to involve young people by organising educational projects around heritage. The strategy at the policy-making level is to collaborate with institutions, identifying and listing what are the tangible and intangible cultural heritage at the national level, addressing the risks to which the heritage is exposed and cooperating with other European countries to exchange knowledge and good practices.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Sorin Hermon in conversation with Antigoni Michael

In conversation with Antigoni Michael, Coordinator of the 7 Most Endangered Programme of Europa Nostra, Sorin Hermon discusses the topic of preservation of endangered sites in Europe and beyond. On the basis of her experience, Antigoni underlines how the creation of synergies between society and institutions helps to create the right network for the preservation of endangered sites. To do so, it is important to understand whom we are addressing, the age, the technological skills, and consequently select different kinds of channels for communicating with them. For this reason, the Competence Centre should invest in how to reach out to these communities and its members. Moreover, for the conservation and preservation of cultural heritage, attention has to be given to the value of identity as human heritage. Finally, Antigoni suggests that the Competence Centre should make technologies accessible for people of all ages, people with disabilities or not, and for people from all countries, since the main value of digitalization, apart from preserving the visual identity, is also preserving and making it approachable for everyone. She finally urges the Competence Centre to take care of the Cypriot heritage and of the heritage under conflict and areas under crisis, especially in States that do not have the same benefits as European Union Member States.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Xavier Rodier in conversation with Isabelle Pallot Frossard

In this interview, Xavier Rodier, a researcher at CNRS, Director of the MSH Val de Loire, University of Tours, discusses with Isabelle Pallot Frossard the theme of conservation and restoration. Isabel Pallot Frossard, President of the Foundation of Heritage Sciences in France, has a long career in the service of Cultural Heritage conservation. After working as a curator of historic monuments, she was appointed as a director of the Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (LRMH), and then of the Research Centre on Restoration of France Museums (C2RMF). Based on her experience, she mentions the many risks our Cultural Heritage is subject to, and how the Competence Centre can help to promote national and European cooperation, improve approaches and develop subjects, as well as foster the coordination of interdisciplinary skills, with the aim to address these issues.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews –  Corinne Szteinsznaider

Corinne Szteinsznaider, an expert in digital cultural heritage and EU cultural policies, is the coordinator of the Michael Culture Association. The Michael Culture Association is a European trans-domain devoted to European digital cultural heritage, from aggregation, protection, preservation, valorisation and reuse; aiming to support the Digital cultural heritage communities. It gathers a strong network of more than 100 public and private organizations from all over Europe. In this video, Corinne presents the role of MCA in the 4CH project and introduces Véronique Chankowski, guest speaker and long-term partner of MCA, highlighting how research centres could benefit and enrich the Competence Centre.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – In conversation with Véronique Chankowski

Véronique Chankowski is a historian, professor of Greek History at the University of Lyon 2 (France) and Director of the “École française d’Athènes”, French School of Athens. The École française d’Athènes is the first foreign institute established in Greece. Founded in 1846, it is a centre of advanced research in humanities. Its core mandate is the study of Greece in its Balkan and Mediterranean contexts, from prehistoric times to the present. Véronique coordinated the NETCHER Project (H2020, 2019-2022) which focused on providing recommendations, resources and best practices in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. In this video, her contribution covers various aspects of how research actors could benefit from a Competence Centre, with a focus on the topic of illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. By creating a multidisciplinary dynamic network of competence, and skills, the Competence Centre for the preservation of cultural heritage, could be a key structure to enhance the protection of heritage.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Sorin Hermon in conversation with Iosif Hadjikyriakos

In conversation with Iosif Hadjikyriakos, Director of the Phivos Stavrides Foundation and Associate Researcher of the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), Sorin Hermon discusses how the 4CH Competence Centre for Culture Heritage can contribute to the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of Cyprus. The discussion focuses on the importance of studying history and consequently preserving the archives, studying the natural environment, and engaging the local communities. The solution proposed is to include Cultural Heritage in the everyday life of society and share the scientific results in a simple language that makes feel people part of it and makes them understand the importance of protecting it.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Francesco Taccetti in conversation with Sara Abram

Francesco Taccetti, 4CH Project Leader, discusses the requirements for a Competence Centre (CC) with Sara Abram, the General Secretary of Fondazione Centro per la Conservazione e Restauro “La Venaria Reale” which undertakes research and the restoration of artworks and artefacts in its laboratories as well as providing training in these areas. The discussion covers aspects such as the need for a European reference framework as scientific techniques and methodologies become increasingly complex and the treatment related data resulting from these procedures along with the opportunities offered by digitisation and the role of a CC for private institutions.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Sorin Hermon in conversation with Fabio Montagnino

In conversation with Fabio Montagnino, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Cyprus Institute, Sorin Hermon discusses how the 4CH Competence Centre for Culture Heritage can involve the private and public sectors for social expansion and engagement. For example, local communities may value their assets as part of their character and history whilst businesses may prioritise the financial value; a balance can be achieved through discussion and dialogue facilitated by the Competence Centre.

English subtitles available

4CH Interviews – Sorin Hermon

Associate Professor at the Cyprus Institute and 4CH Partner, Sorin Hermon discusses the importance of the 4CH project to the regional area of Cyprus along with the impact of boosting the local community engagement and the contribution of the Cyprus Institute to the protection and valorisation of Cultural Heritage. This contribution includes assessing the risks such as those caused by climate changes, aligning 4CH activities with other European initiatives and the need for collaboration between different sectors.

English subtitles available