HERITΛGE is very happy to announce the completion of the first “Introduction to General Principles of Cultural Heritage Conservation” workshop. The 3-day intensive online training workshop took place on May 26-28, with the participation of 12 heritage managers from Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia) and Europe (Greece). It was delivered by Dr. Alexis Stefanis, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art at the University of West Attica.

Participants were trained in understanding the potential of conservation and the processes necessary to maximize this potential.

“We at HERITΛGE are very excited about the completion of this first conservation workshop. This course serves as an introduction to the principles of conservation, and as such, it is a unique opportunity for our organization to place conservation at the heart of heritage management,” said HERITΛGE Director, Dr. Evangelos Kyriakidis, who also delivered a lecture to course participants.

The workshop explored the fundamentals, ethics, evolution, contemporary international context, and importance of conservation. Simultaneously, participants applied this newly-acquired knowledge to their own projects, including the Conservation of the Brandberg National Monument in Namibia, the Historical Site of Arada, the Conservation Study of an Old Post Office Neighborhood Urban Scape, the Conservation Practice of Tiya World Heritage Site, and the Inventorying of Banjul’s Historic Buildings, Site, and Values for Informed Policy Drive Towards Urban Heritage Conservation.

This work was followed up by a tutorial meeting with instructor Alexis Stefanis on June 5th, where participants had the opportunity to ask follow-up questions and seek guidance regarding their final assignment.

HERITΛGE is happy to announce three upcoming training workshops for Heritage Professionals.

At HERITΛGE we train professionals in the management of heritage sites, independently of project specifics. We have trained more than 1000 individuals and organizations in over 77 countries and are now on course to impact a quarter of global heritage hotspots by 2025.

Our upcoming opportunities include:

Engaging Communities in Cultural Heritage – Online and In-Person

This course draws from our long experience with community engagement through heritage and will discuss several examples from our own and others’ work. At HERITΛGE aim to develop a distinct approach to community engagement, based on social (and art) research with community-led initiative.

Introduction to Heritage Interpretation for Site Managers – Online

Heritage Interpretation is a structured approach to non-formal learning, specialized in making visitors’ experience meaningful and unforgettable. In this 3-day course, participants will familiarize themselves with the principles of quality heritage interpretation and will practice how to use interpretation on their own sites.

Interpretive Writing for Natural and Cultural Heritage – Online

The key to effective word-based Heritage Interpretation is written text that grabs and holds the reader’s attention. During a 3-day online course, participants will discover and practice a wide range of techniques to engage visitors and master the techniques of interpretive writing.

 

*There is funding available through the Benefactor Scholarships of the Heritage Management Organizations. The scholarships are available for qualified candidates and cover a large part of the cost, excluding travel and hotel expenses for in-person training.

In a rapidly changing world, the preservation and management of cultural heritage require strategic planning and effective decision-making. HERITΛGE’s latest transformative 3-day online workshop titled “Strategic Planning for Heritage Managers” took place in mid-May and brought together 14 heritage managers from Africa, Asia, and Europe, providing them with essential strategic planning skills and knowledge. 

Led by Alexandros Papalexandris, Assistant Professor of Management at the Athens University of Economics and Business, the workshop immersed participants in a comprehensive curriculum. Heritage managers from Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa, Sudan, India, Syria, and North Macedonia had the opportunity to  explore a variety of strategic analysis methods and tools. They gained insights into planning and evaluating alternative strategic options, understanding the requirements of strategy implementation projects, and assessing the macro-environmental factors influencing organizational strategies.

The participants delved into the core concepts of strategy, grasped the importance of strategic planning, and acquired the skills to craft compelling vision and mission statements. Analyzing the business macro-environment, including political, economic, social, and technological factors, were skills on which the heritage managers participating focused intensely during the training. Moreover, the workshop equipped participants with the ability to identify and leverage different types of resources and capabilities to gain a competitive advantage.

Towards Practical Application: To cement their newly acquired skills, participants were divided into three groups, and each group selected a project from within their cohort for an in-depth case study. The chosen projects included the establishment of a Children’s Museum at The Grand Egyptian Museum in Egypt, the preservation of the Palmyra World Heritage Site in Syria, and the development of the Kumanovo Museum in North Macedonia. By working on these real-world projects, the participants had the opportunity to apply their strategic planning knowledge and develop practical solutions.

While the workshop concluded after three intense days, the learning journey continues. Participants will reconvene with their instructor, Alexandros Papalexandris, on May 22nd for a tutorial meeting. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to seek guidance, clarify doubts, and receive valuable feedback to refine their final projects. This personalized approach ensures that the heritage managers are supported as they progress towards implementing their strategic plans.

The workshop featured a keynote speech by Joshua Mwankunda, a distinguished professional with two decades of management experience in government services and overseas assignments. Mr. Mwankunda showcased his expertise in heritage conservation, development, tourism, project management, procurement, and engineering. He has managed successful heritage projects within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, including the conservation of Laetoli footprints, ElA and CHIA for road upgrades, museum development, and supervised the establishment of Sub Saharan Africa’s first Geopark.

The online 3-day workshop on “Introduction to Heritage Interpretation for Site Managers” took place from 25 to 27 November  2022.

10 heritage managers from Africa (Rwanda, Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya, Sudan), Europe ( Greece) and Asia (Turkey) have received training on the principles of quality heritage interpretation and practiced how to use interpretation on their own sites.

In this highly interactive and participatory workshop participants engaged daily with both individual and group activities. The workshops’ instructor, Valya Stergioti, tailored the activities and the lectures based on the participants projects and cultural background. Through this process participants learned how to turn phenomena into experiences, provoke resonance in visitors of heritage sites, offer paths to deeper meaning and foster respect for all heritage, as well as how to give and receive feedback to and from their colleagues.

The workshop was conducted by Valya Stergioti.

Valya Stergioti, is a freelance interpretive trainer and planner, with more of 20 years of experience on organizing and implementing interpretive workshops about heritage. As Interpret Europe’s Training Coordinator, along with the members of the Training Team, she is responsible for the creation and implementation of a quality, interpretive training program that will meet the needs of heritage professionals from all over Europe.

A keynote speech was delivered by Ms Olga  Karagianni.

Olga Karagianni, after a career in the private sector, moved to live permanently in Andros in 2004 when she started her PhD in Sustainable Tourism.Olga is the inspirational driving force behind the Andros Routes project, leading a volunteer team to restore over 180km of ancient footpaths and helping to develop sustainable hiking tourism on Andros. In October 2018 she launched the successful multi-day “On Foot” Hiking Festival which was repeated again in 2019. She has participated in the Southern Aegean Tourism Observatory as a writer of the action plan for nature and hiking tourism. Olga has a degree in Economics from the University of Athens, a postgraduate degree in Tourism Management and Policy from the Hellenic Open University, and a PhD in Sustainable Tourism.