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Submitting institution
The University of Kent
Unit of assessment
29 - Classics
Summary impact type
Societal
Is this case study continued from a case study submitted in 2014?
No

1. Summary of the impact

In 2015, UNESCO adopted the Policy on the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention which ensured (for the first time) that the conservation and management of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites aligns with broader sustainable development goals. Professor Labadi, drawing on her research on heritage and social justice, gender equality and sustainable development, was part of the small team responsible for the drafting of this new policy. By integrating environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and inclusive social development into the conservation, management and interpretation of more than 1,000 sites of outstanding and universal value, the policy has significantly impacted on a broad range of stakeholders including: governments; local communities (young people, women, ethnic and religious minorities); professionals and practitioners (heritage professionals, tourist guides, site managers); and NGOs and other third-sector organisations. Since the adoption of the policy, Professor Labadi has worked with intergovernmental organisations, NGOs, governments, and civil society organisations to translate the policy into pragmatic action in varied international contexts.

2. Underpinning research

Labadi’s research, which underpins this case study, focuses on the ways that heritage sites can address some of the most pressing global challenges, including social justice, gender equality and sustainable development. Since 2013, she has explored the development problems associated with sites protected by the 1972 World Heritage Convention (World Heritage Sites), including gentrification, exclusion and relocation of local populations, and the environmental degradation of urban settlements. The research was based on in-depth analyses of documents on World Heritage Sites in Asia, Europe, and Latin America; first-hand experience of working for UNESCO and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites); and in-depth ethnographic research at sites in Africa and Asia (e.g. the Island of Mozambique and at Angkor in Cambodia (see, in particular, R1, R2, and R3). Labadi has argued that the conservation, management and interpretation of heritage sites too often occur separately from other sustainable development concerns, and that conservation, management and interpretation plans and activities should thoroughly integrate sustainable development approaches so that sites can contribute to inclusive social and economic development and the quality of life of communities. Sustainable development should tackle issues of peace and security, as well as poverty reduction, gender equality and environmental sustainability. The research has also highlighted a number of possible solutions to these problems, for example, through inclusive economic development, enhancing the quality of life and the wellbeing of locals, and protecting biological and cultural diversity [R1].

In R2 and R3, Labadi described how ambiguous the official documents for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention had been in the past. In particular, in R2 she identified how the documents often omitted key principles of sustainable development, thereby overlooking the importance of inclusivity (both in economic and in social terms) and intergenerational equity; the requirement for the benefits from World Heritage to be shared equitably; and the need for a rights-based approach to heritage. In R3, she explained the different, and at times conflicting, understandings of heritage and sustainability by key local stakeholders, and revealed the need for a newly designed policy on the topic. R4 considers issues with the concepts of World Heritage and gender. Gender equality is a core priority of UNESCO, yet Labadi identifies the invisibility of women in World Heritage documentation, and in the Convention’s processes, as well as their lack of influence in decision-making.

Throughout the period when she was undertaking the underpinning research, Labadi was in close contact with Giovanni Bocardi of UNESCO (who was responsible for the WHSD Policy), sharing her data and findings. As a result, the new 2015 WHSD Policy integrates the key ideas from Labadi’s publications on World Heritage and sustainable development.

3. References to the research

[R1] Labadi, Sophia, and Logan, William, eds. (2015). Urban Heritage, Development and Sustainability. London: Routledge, 314pp. ISBN 9781138845732. http://kar.kent.ac.uk/42427/

[R2] Labadi, Sophia, and Gould, Peter (2015). ‘Sustainable Development: Heritage, Community, Economics’. In: Meskell, Lynn, ed. Global Heritage. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 196-216. http://kar.kent.ac.uk/42441/

[R3] Labadi, Sophia (2017). ‘UNESCO, World Heritage, and Sustainable Development: International Discourses and Local Impacts’. In: Gould, Peter, and Pyburn, Anne, eds. Collision or Collaboration: Archaeology Encounters Economic Development: One World Archaeology. Springer, pp. 45-60. ISBN 978-3-319-44514-4. doi:

10.1007/978-3-319-44515-1. https://kar.kent.ac.uk/57759/

[R4] Labadi, Sophia (2018). ‘World Heritage and Gender Equality’. In: Larsen, Peter, and Logan, William, eds. World Heritage and Sustainable Development: New Directions in World Heritage Management. London: Routledge, pp. 87-100. ISBN 978-1-138-09139-9. https://kar.kent.ac.uk/59117/

Grants

[G1] Drafting and Implementing the 2015 UNESCO Policy on World Heritage and Sustainable Development, 9 January 2014-6 June 2016. Funders: GCRF (Kent); European Cultural Foundation; African World Heritage Fund; Robben Island Museum. Value: £40,000.

4. Details of the impact

Contributing to a ground-breaking policy on sustainable development

World Heritage (WH) Sites, designated by UNESCO for their outstanding and universal significance are protected by the 1972 World Heritage Convention. Labadi’s research on heritage and sustainable development informed a significant shift in the implementation of the Convention, when the landmark 2015 Policy on the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention (WH-SDP), which she helped draft, was adopted.

As a result of her research on heritage and development, and in particular her focus on issues relating to gender equality and social and economic inclusion, Labadi was approached by Giovanni Boccardi (then Senior Programme Specialist at UNESCO) to contribute to the drafting of the WH-SDP policy document [a]. She presented a first draft of the section on ‘Achieving Gender Equality’ at the first workshop on WH and Sustainable Development (held at Cottbus University, Germany, in October 2014). During the second workshop on World Heritage and Sustainable Development (held in Vietnam, 22-24 January 2015), she presented a second draft of the text on ‘Inclusive Social Development’. With Boccardi and Jane Thompson (an independent consultant), and drawing on background papers and comments received, in February-March 2015, she finalised the draft policy. She then worked with Boccardi to integrate comments received from government stakeholders after the draft policy was presented to the World Heritage Committee in June 2015. In total, 191 governments were invited to submit feedback on the draft policy [a].

The WH-SDP was presented on 19 November 2015 to the 20th General Assembly of the States Parties to the WH Convention and was fully adopted [b]. The policy represented an historic change to the WH programme, as it identified, for the first time, specific mechanisms to ensure that WH sites comply with, and are managed and interpreted according to principles of inclusive economic development, social responsibility, environmental protection, and peace and security. The policy aligned the WH Convention with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by the United Nations in September 2015, and its adoption was described in a UNESCO press release (November 2015) as representing ‘a significant shift in the implementation of the Convention and an important step in its history’ [b].

At a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, in July 2019, the UNESCO WH Committee noted the significant progress that had been made towards implementation of the WH-SDP. The Committee reviewed a progress report which described how community-based conservation projects, in Benin, Lesotho and Botswana, had strengthened the capacity of local communities to safeguard their heritage by integrating the principles of WH-SDP [c]. Labadi had, in particular, contributed to the drafting of the policy section on gender equality in the WH-SDP, and the progress report noted that in response to the WH-SDP, the ‘World Heritage Centre [the coordinator within UNESCO for all matters related to World Heritage] has made structured efforts to ensure a gender-sensitive and gender-balanced approach to the implementation of its activities’ [c]. The progress report also provided examples of specific projects with a strong focus on gender equality. At Lake Ohrid (on the North Macedonia-Albania border), women were clearly represented in leadership positions in an EU-UNESCO funded project to protect natural and cultural heritage, with female participation in workshops and meetings reaching 56%. In Madagascar, a UNESCO-led project had provided education, training and opportunities for women in the sustainable tourism sector, thereby improving livelihoods and helping them become more financially independent. In Makli, Thatta (Pakistan), women from local villages were being trained in ceramics production and tile making. It was noted that ‘these outreach and income generation activities have improved the lives of local women, who now play a crucial role in the conservation of the property, thereby gaining a sense of ownership, pride and identity, in addition to the material benefits they derive from the production and sale of the ceramics’ [c].

In addition, the 2019 Operational Guidelines – the key document for the implementation of the Convention – requests States to comply with the principles of the 2015 Policy, including on gender equality (paragraph 15); ensuring benefits for heritage and society (paragraph 112); and using research for conflict prevention and resolution (paragraph 215). In addition, the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise (2018-2024) requests States to detail how the principles from the 2015 Policy have been implemented at property level. Periodic reporting is the key official monitoring mechanism of the Convention, undertaken by governments every six years. Before 2015, states did not have to integrate sustainable development principles in site management, now this must happen and be reported upon [c].

Implementing sustainable development policy: practical, real-world management and interpretation of World Heritage Sites

UNESCO has recognised the need for improved knowledge, planning and guidance to enable stakeholders to harness the potential of World Heritage properties to contribute to sustainable development. UNESCO also recognises the importance of stakeholders having the opportunity to share good practice and experiences of implementing WH-SDP into operational activities and processes in different regions of the world [b, c]. Labadi has responded to both these drivers in her work with stakeholders in Europe, Africa and, as of August 2020, Korea [d, f, g]. Throughout this work, as detailed below, Labadi has developed opportunities for knowledge sharing; provided tools to enhance community engagement; created detailed guidance for broad audiences; and ensured sustained engagement with governments, practitioners, advisory bodies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

In 2018, Labadi organised a workshop which brought together representatives from 40 civil society organisations involved in the implementation of the WH-SDP. The event was part of the official programme of the European Year of Cultural Heritage (29 March 2018, Brussels) and was organised in cooperation with Europa Nostra (the leading citizens movement on heritage in Europe) and the European Cultural Foundation [g]. The aim was to find innovative ways for civil society actors, who often play a key role in the management of World Heritage sites, to implement WH-SDP. The workshop was attended by the ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) Focal Point for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. ICOMOS is responsible for evaluating cultural and mixed properties for inclusion on the UNESCO WH List and their state of conservation once on the list. Globally, it is the largest NGO on cultural heritage. The workshop made several recommendations which were published in an Action Plan that was widely disseminated to civil society organisations worldwide [h]. Subsequently, the ICOMOS Focal Point reported that the Action Plan was included as part of ICOMOS’ Advocacy Kit and was distributed at the 2019 Session of the WH Committee in Baku, as well as at the 2019 UN High Level Political Forum in New York. She further noted that ‘The activities undertaken by Prof. Sophia Labadi at the University of Kent, related to the implementation of the Policy [WH-SDP], have been a catalyst for the heightened prominence of the Policy in my advocacy work connecting cultural heritage and sustainable development’ [i].

Building on her 2018 workshop, in August 2019, Labadi organised a workshop in conjunction with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and Robben Island Museum, Cape Town [d]. The AWHF is the inter-governmental organisation which, as a UNESCO entity, works on the conservation and management of World Heritage sites in 39 African countries. The workshop was attended by WH site managers, heritage practitioners, national authorities and researchers from 18 African countries. It was also attended by the Africa Business Group, ICOMOS, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN, responsible for assessing natural and mixed properties nominated for inclusion on the WH List and their state of conservation once on the List), and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Participants exchanged experiences and identified local-level best practices and approaches for integrating the 2015 WH-SDP. A draft Action Plan was initiated, and a follow-up workshop planned for Cameroon in 2021. Following the workshop, Labadi worked with the African World Heritage Fund and the Robben Island Museum to publish a 109-page policy report, sharing experiences of balancing conservation and sustainable development at World Heritage sites in Africa. The report, which has been widely disseminated, included case studies from seven African countries, highlighted issues and solutions to implementation of the WH-SDP in the context of Africa, and advocated for a pragmatic approach to the integration of sustainable development perspectives into the conservation and management of World Heritage sites [e].

Six months after the workshop, a follow-up survey was conducted, in order to understand the practical impacts of the workshop and whether participants had gone on to integrate principles of the 2015 WH-SDP into the operation of heritage sites in Africa. The results clearly indicated ‘that a number of the participants have integrated the principles of the 2015 UNESCO Policy on World Heritage and Sustainable Development into their work’ [e]. The AWHF noted examples where the outcomes from the workshop had directly influenced the practice of site management. At the Okavango Delta World Heritage Site in Botswana, the principles of the policy had been used to review their management plan. At Lake Malawi, socio-economic initiatives were being developed to benefit local communities. At Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya (Zambia and Zimbabwe) the Lwande Mixed Farming project was helping local communities to grow and market agricultural produce, thereby creating better food security. The site manager at Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya indicated that, as a direct result of the knowledge acquired at the workshop, he had evaluated a number of tourism project proposals and activities to better align them with the principles of sustainable development articulated in the WH-SDP [e].

As a result of her research and publication with Professor Logan [R1], in 2020 Labadi was commissioned by the Korean Government to write a paper on ‘Integrating Heritage Interpretation into a Sustainable Development Perspective’ (August 2020) [f]. This paper is now informing the Korean Government’s discussions on interpretative approaches and plans at World Heritage sites, and their efforts to fully integrate the principles of the WH-SDP into this important work.

5. Sources to corroborate the impact

[a] Letter from UNESCO Cultural Sector Division for Culture and Emergencies, on Labadi’s role in drafting the 2015 World Heritage Sustainable Development (WHSD) Policy.

[b] 20th General Assembly of the World Heritage Convention adopts new policy on sustainable development.

[c] UNESCO World Heritage Committee 43rd Session, Baku: Integrating the principles of the 2015 WHSD Policy into the official implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

[d] Media coverage of the workshop (Robben Island, South Africa), 22 August 2019.

[e] Letter confirming implementation of the WHSD Policy in the African region by the African World Heritage Fund, 13 November 2020.

[f] Position paper commissioned by the Korean Government, August 2020.

[g] Media report of Workshop on World Heritage, Sustainable Development and Civil Society held in Brussels, 5 April 2018.

[h] Action Plan: World Heritage, Sustainable Development and Civil Society Workshop, 29 March 2018

[i] Letter from ICOMOS Focal Point for the Sustainable Development Goals, 2 December 2020.

Submitting institution
The University of Kent
Unit of assessment
29 - Classics
Summary impact type
Cultural
Is this case study continued from a case study submitted in 2014?
No

1. Summary of the impact

Research by Kyriakidis, undertaken at the University of Kent, has been a key driver for the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals (notably goals 4, 8, and 11) to improve heritage management around the world. Kyriakidis’ research on community engagement for sustainable heritage management is a key pillar of the University’s CPD-accredited MA in Heritage Management, taught in collaboration with Athens University of Economics and Business at the University’s Athens Centre. Through his teaching, Kyriakidis’ research findings have influenced professional practice and informed different heritage projects around the world, such as the Cultural Division of the Maya Train in Mexico and the new national strategy for the management of heritage in Ghana. This has benefited heritage sites, individuals, and communities.

In addition, Kyriakidis’ research forms the backbone of his non-governmental organisation (NGO) for heritage management, the Heritage Management Organisation, or HERITΛGE (formerly known as the Initiative for Heritage Conservation). In this context, Kyriakidis has run additional workshops and summer schools, and maintained a HERITΛGE network. Through HERITΛGE, Kyriakidis enabled capacity-building of partner and government organisations; for instance, through joint funding bids and consultancy. Kyriakidis’ work also addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal 13, on climate action. He influenced policy debate and brought cultural heritage preservation to the agenda of the Climate Action Summit in 2019.

2. Underpinning research

Since 2010, Kyriakidis has been undertaking fieldwork on his Peak Sanctuary Project, which has included ethnographic research at the village of Gonies (Greece). Through this project, Kyriakidis identified the need for a step change in how heritage was managed – from a focus on the conservation of the physical fabric of archaeological sites, to active site management that would increase efficiency, value, quality of care for heritage, and sustainability. A key finding was that there was an urgent need for consideration of the value of heritage (i.e. what heritage stands for), and ongoing values-related management. The relevant research publications document his work at Gonies as an example of best practice in how to identify and meet challenges, and find a sustainable approach to heritage management [R1, R2]. His work argues that local communities should be primary stakeholders both in establishing the cultural value of heritage sites, and in the ongoing management of sites, and that this should be a meaningful process rather than a box-ticking exercise. A key finding of the research was that empowering local communities to manage their own heritage was an effective and sustainable way of managing heritage sites. Furthermore, it found that awarding external grants (resulting in large one-off payments) still leaves heritage sites at risk after the end of a grant-funded period.

Kyriakidis’ research further identified the importance of intangible heritage (such as knowledge, cultural practice, and traditions) and the tendency for this type of heritage to be overlooked in assessments of heritage risk. Threats to intangible heritage include environmental factors such as climate change, which can accelerate the loss of intangible heritage knowledge. When environments change, relevant knowledge (for instance in relation to pastoral farming) can become obsolete, and thus is at risk of being lost [R1, R2, especially chapters 3-4]. From this research, Kyriakidis concluded that community engagement, value assessment, and heritage interpretation were key to developing a sustainable heritage management strategy for Greece. These conclusions were also identified as relevant for other countries with rich heritage assets.

Concurrently with the work at Gonies, Kyriakidis undertook a survey project, ‘Discovering the Archaeologists of Greece’ [R3], as a case study on archaeological employment in a single country with rich heritage assets. The project set out to gather and quantify data on employment in archaeology, providing up-to-date information that can be used by heritage organisations to build capacity in the future. The survey was part of a larger European project that gathered this information in various countries. This research complements the research mentioned above, and has enabled Kyriakidis to address human resources management in his heritage training.

3. References to the research

[R1] Kyriakidis, Evangelos, and Anagnostopoulos, Aris (2017). Engaging Local Communities in Heritage Decision-Making: The Case of Gonies, Crete, Greece’, Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies, 5. ISSN 2166-3548. doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.5325/jeasmedarcherstu.5.3-4.0334

[R2] Kyriakidis, Evangelos (2019). A Community Empowerment Approach to Heritage Management: From Values Assessment to Local Engagement. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-36830-9. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429429361

[R3] Kyriakidis, Evangelos, and Alexopoulos, Georgios (2014). Discovering the Archaeologists of Greece 2012-14. Project report. Initiative for Heritage Conservancy.

https://kar.kent.ac.uk/64804/

Grants

[G1] Kyriakidis, Evangelos (2008-10). ‘The Heritage Management Organisation’, Lloyd Cotsen. Value: €300,000.

[G2] Kyriakidis, Evangelos (2012-15). Award from the Leventis Foundation. Value: €250,000.

4. Details of the impact

Changing Professional Practice and Contributing to Professional Development

Kyriakidis’ work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, Target 11.4; that is, to ‘strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural […] heritage’. His work improves heritage preservation through training of individuals and the subsequent change to professional practice. Kyriakidis research-led teaching focuses on the key aspects required for sustainable heritage management, including the importance of intangible heritage and community engagement (as identified in his research), and the digitisation of heritage sites. From 2014, the vocational and CPD-accredited MA in Heritage Management offered by the University of Kent at its Athens Centre, and the associated summer schools and workshops (offered by HERITΛGE), had 683 attendees (125 for the MA, 558 for summer schools and workshops). Training has been taken up by individuals from 73 countries, at all levels of professional experience, ranging from new graduates to government ministers and policy officials [a]. Kyriakidis’ research-led teaching thus created a diverse global impact.

The following examples from four countries further illustrate the impact of Kyriakidis’ research between 2014 and 2020:

  1. Trainee 1, who became the Senior Museums and Monuments Officer at Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, contributed to a new national strategy for the management of heritage in Ghana. ‘We already see benefits in how locals are eager to take up suggestions and actively proffer indigenous solutions and others to ensure the success of how heritage sites in and around their communities are being managed. This positive shift is due to my Heritage management training, where stakeholders were identified and brought together to share ideas and solutions, instead of the usual top to bottom approach’ [b].

  2. Another example is the Cultural Division of the Maya Train, an infrastructure and social development project. The Maya Train is a 1,500km intercity railway that will connect six UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites, two Biosphere Reserves, and other important Mayan archaeological sites in Mexico. In her testimony, Trainee 2 credited the training she received from HERITΛGE for her having learned that heritage values and local communities must have priority in any cultural-heritage-related project. As a result of this training, I am able to positively influence the development of the project and the relations with stakeholders at all levels accordingly, placing both values and community engagement to a central position in the project’ [b].

  3. Trainee 2’s assessment was echoed by Trainee 3, who became the co-founder of the Tuklas Inc. Society in the Philippines, which works with local communities near archaeological and heritage sites. He stated that the training he received in 2017 and 2018 from Kyriakidis and his team ‘has truly made a difference in the way I both understand the importance of heritage values but also of the skills needed for a more effective engagement with the local community. The Heritage Management trainings have given me new tools to present and discuss heritage values with the communities, which has not only enabled the communities I work with to have a greater awareness and appreciation of their own heritage, but also improved the community’s ability to contribute to authentic, sustainable tourism in the area’ [b].

  4. Fifteen Christian monuments, less than 10km away from the border with war-torn Syria in South-East Anatolia (Turkey), have been digitised by Trainee 4. This happened just a few weeks before the creation of the ‘safe zone’ by the Turkish Army in Syria. The permission from the army general to fly a drone in this area for this purpose would not have been obtained if it were not for the community engagement training Trainee 4 received from Kyriakidis [b].

In addition to various heritage sites benefiting from the training provided by Kyriakidis, individuals have also been equipped and empowered to start and/or develop their careers through his work with them. The NGO HERITΛGE, directed by Kyriakidis, addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, Target 4.4; that is, to ’substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills [...] for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship’. Trainee 5, for example, directly credits the skill set he acquired from the MA in Heritage Management for his becoming the Deputy Program Director responsible for the Management of Culture and Heritage at the National Commission for UNESCO in Kenya [b].

On account of its wide-ranging networks, HERITΛGE addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal 8; that is, to ‘create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the environment’. The benefit to heritage sites and individuals has been widely noted. For example, in 2020, Kyriakidis was approached by the British Council, which subsequently reached an agreement with HERITΛGE to train heritage professionals with the ambition to lead in heritage preservation [c].

Building Capacity for Heritage Sites and Heritage Organisations

Kyriakidis’ NGO HERITΛGE plays a crucial training role when it comes to building capacity for heritage sites, heritage organisations, and countries' heritage preservation capabilities. Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed by HERITΛGE, notably with the International Institute for Central Asian Studies in Uzbekistan [d] and the Institute of Tourism Development in Uzbekistan (2019) [e]. A similar agreement exists with the Arts Council of Gambia. HERITΛGE also signed an MoU with the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation (ICCHTO) (in 2019), making it the world’s first organisation that has such an agreement with an Iranian institution [f]. As a result of this MoU, Trainee 6, who works for ICCHTO and disseminates Kyriakidis’ knowledge in Iran, has initiated a number of community engagement plans and estimates that 32,000 Iranian heritage sites will eventually benefit from improved heritage management practice [b]. Similarly, Trainee 4 supported the MoU signed in 2019 between HERITΛGE and the Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Turkey (KMKD) [b].

Through these MoUs, and its extensive networks (of which trainees are also a part), HERITΛGE has become the capacity-building partner for multiple organisations. HERITΛGE is supporting the development of national strategies of organisations, collaborating on training, and joining forces with various institutions in funding applications by pan-national organisations such as the European Union. Through successful lobbying, HERITΛGE has become part of Europe AID, which has funded heritage training and capacity-building in Iran. In 2020, Kyriakidis was also approached by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, which wishes to work with HERITΛGE to train ‘key heritage managers to empower them to independently transform their heritage assets from decaying objects of study to dynamic sources of learning, community identity and economic development’ [g].

Beyond the immediate partner organisations, Kyriakidis’ advice is also frequently sought in heritage circles. For instance, Kyriakidis was appointed to the Senior Advisory Board of the Global Heritage Fund, the second-largest private organisation for heritage preservation in the US, with community engagement at the heart of its mission [h]. In 2020, Kyriakidis also advised the Greek Government and their US-based legal representatives in a dispute on illicit antiquities in which the Greek Government was sued after a transaction did not take place in ‘good faith’. Community engagement and the bringing together of different stakeholders was crucial in enabling the Greek Government to protect their national heritage and in preventing the sale from proceeding. The significance of this decision was covered extensively in the mainstream press.

At a time when heritage organisations and those who support them around the world have seen their funding cut drastically (e.g. UNESCO, DFID, USAID, WMF), HERITΛGE has effectively demonstrated the economic, cultural, and heritage value-added associated with its knowledge transfer and capacity-building activities. Reflecting this, as well as the uniqueness of the activities delivered, the organisation’s total revenue has more than doubled between 2015 and 2017, reaching an annual total of $1.4 million in 2017 [i].

Policy Debate on Climate Change

Kyriakidis also advised the Greek Government in developing policy proposals that aimed to mitigate the impact of climate change on heritage. Kyriakidis’ proposals to the Government, which he submitted in spring/summer 2019, were based on his research insight that the physical changes to heritage sites caused by climate change can have a strongly negative impact on their local communities [R1, R2]. Importantly, his research had identified that the damage resulting from climate change can profoundly affect intangible heritage, in particular. In the policy proposals, he pointed out the diverse negative cultural and economic impacts that climate change has for communities. He argued that these would disrupt the lives of communities across the globe, limiting their ability to access and benefit from their cultural resources, and that traditional knowledge and practices would be lost [j]. His proposals stated that it was a significant omission that cultural heritage is not systematically integrated into global climate change mitigation processes including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. Kyriakidis argued that although the latter does mention 'traditional knowledge, knowledge of indigenous peoples and local knowledge systems' (Article 7.5), this does not go far enough in acknowledging the profound disruption to cultural heritage that can occur. This omission is a reflection of a persistent institutional gap between the cultural heritage and climate change communities, which must be urgently addressed [j]. Kyriakidis wrote the initial proposal [j] and approved the final text for the Athens Summit. The proposals led to a conference (21-22 June 2019) ‘and formed the basis for the final text signed and sent to Abu Dhabi [in June 2019], where HERITΛGE represented Greece’ [k]. Following the recommendations of Dr Kyriakidis and HERITΛGE, the Greek government organised a parallel session to the UN summit in New York that paved the way for heritage to be included in the main discussion in that summit and then to be included in to the minutes of COP25.’ [k, l] This success at the 2019 Climate Action Summit means that heritage organisations are now able to lobby their governments for funding in the context of climate change.

5. Sources to corroborate the impact

[a] Alumni Overview 2014-19. Overview of MA alumni and attendees of HERITΛGE workshops for Summer Schools.

[b] Testimonies for Heritage Management Skills Training, 2014-19. Testimonies from trainees who completed their training between 2014 and 2019, testifying to the impact of their training.

[c] Agreement to Deliver Training Funded by the British Council. Confidential. HERITΛGE reached an agreement with the British Council to train heritage professionals.

[d] Memorandum of Understanding with Heritage IICAS Uzbekistan. Confidential. This MoU evidences capacity-building.

[e] Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute of Tourism Development, Uzbekistan. Confidential. This MoU evidences capacity-building.

[f] Memorandum of Understanding with ICHHCO, Iran. Confidential. This MoU evidences capacity-building.

[g] Concept Note on the Intended Collaboration between HERITAGE and UN ECA Africa. Confidential. This demonstrates that the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa wishes to work with HERITΛGE to train heritage managers.

[h] Testimony from the CEO of Global Heritage Fund US. This confirms that Kyriakidis was appointed as a member of the Senior Advisory Board of the Global Heritage Fund.

[i] Pro Publia website page, Heritage Management Organization, Inc. This evidences the increased annual revenue of HERITΛGE between 2015 and 2017.

[j] Initial Proposal for the Athens Summit and final text sent to Abu Dhabi. The initial proposal was written and approved by Kyriakidis. It formed the basis of the final text sent to Abu Dhabi, which is also included in the evidence.

[k] Testimony to Certify that Heritage was included in discussions of the Climate Summit in 2019 and COP25. A Professor at the Academy of Athens confirms that HERITΛGE represented Greece (with the MFA) at the pre-summit in Abu Dhabi and that HERITΛGE successfully lobbied for inclusion of the Greek Initiative Recommendations to the UN summit.

[l] Final Proposal of the Greek Government for the Coalition Parallel Meeting in New York. This proposal was developed from Kyriakidis initial proposal for the Athens summit.

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