HERITΛGE Director Dr. Evangelos Kyriakidis was the keynote speaker at General Session “Living Heritage of Landscapes: The Role of Cultural Routes in Sustainable Cultural Development and Community Empowerment” during the 14th Advisory Forum of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

The Forum, themed “Cultural Routes and Landscapes: Advancing Heritage Protection through Cultural and Sustainable Tourism,” brought together experts, policymakers, and cultural practitioners from across Europe to discuss how cultural routes contribute to the safeguarding of heritage, the empowerment of local communities, and the promotion of sustainable tourism.

In his keynote, Dr. Kyriakidis emphasized the need to recognize local communities as experts, ensuring meaningful collaboration and co-creation of knowledge in heritage initiatives. He stressed the importance of making heritage relevant by adopting local practices and ways of thinking, and empowering locals as key stakeholders in protecting their own heritage. By strengthening awareness and pride, he noted, heritage can help communities combat social injustice both at home and in the diaspora, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 10.3 on reducing inequalities.

Learn more about the Forum here.