Πραγματικότητα αποτελεί η Διακήρυξη της Αθήνας για την πολιτιστική κληρονομιά, όπως ανακοίνωσε κλείνοντας το 4^ο Διεθνές Συνέδριο TMM–CH, η Ομότιμη Καθηγήτρια Αντωνία Μοροπούλου από το Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο, Επικεφαλής της Διεπιστημονικής Ομάδας και Επικεφαλής Επιστημονική Υπεύθυνη της αποκατάστασης του Ιερού Κουβουκλίου του Παναγίου Τάφου, Αντιπρόεδρος Τεχνικού Επιμελητηρίου Ελλάδος και μέλος του Συμβουλίου Διοίκησης στο Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων.

Αρχικά η κ. Μοροπούλου ανέφερε ότι μέσω του προγράμματος «Το Εύλογον», που ξεκίνησε και θα ολοκληρωθεί τον Δεκέμβριο του 2026, 10 χρόνια μετά την ολοκλήρωση των εργασιών αποκατάστασης στον Ιερό Κουβούκλιο του Παναγίου Τάφου, επιδιώκεται η προσφορά τεχνογνωσίας, κινήτρου και δυναμικής που ξεπερνά την προσωπική συνεισφορά του καθενός. «Η όλη πρόκληση για να αντιμετωπίσουμε έναν κόσμο σε κρίση, είναι να φέρουμε στο επίκεντρο την πολιτιστική κληρονομιά και να αναπτύξουμε κοινωνικές και πολιτικές συμμαχίες, προκειμένου να διατηρήσουμε ζωντανή την πολιτιστική κληρονομιά» τόνισε και πρόσθεσε ότι αυτό είναι το μήνυμα του Συνεδρίου.

Στη συνέχεια ανακοίνωσε τη Διακήρυξη της Αθήνας που συντάχθηκε με τη συνδρομή υψηλών εκπροσώπων της Europa Nostra και την οποία συνυπογράφει και η Κύπρος.

Η Διακήρυξη για Κλιματικές Δράσεις με βάση των Πολιτισμό, που πρόκειται να σταλεί σε μεγάλους Οργανισμούς και τον ΟΗΕ, έχει ως βασικό μήνυμα, όπως ανέφερε η κ. Μοροπούλου ότι «προχωράμε σε νέες στρατηγικές, από την παθητική στρατηγική της διατήρησης της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς σε μια ενεργή στρατηγική της αποκάλυψης του ρόλου της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς και των πολιτιστικών στοιχείων ως πηγής για ήπια ανάπτυξη. Αυτός είναι ο μόνος τρόπος να έχουμε βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη που θα καταπολεμήσει την κλιματική αλλαγή».

Το δεύτερο αίτημα, για μια Ευρωπαϊκή Εταιρική Σχέση για Ανθεκτική Πολιτιστική Κληρονομιά, είναι προς την κυβέρνηση για τη συμμετοχή στην ευρωπαϊκή δράση για ανθεκτική πολιτιστική κληρονομιά, κάτω από το πλαίσιο του Προγράμματος HORIZON EUROPE, καθώς η Ελλάδα δεν είναι συμμέτοχος. Και το τρίτο κάλεσμα είναι για τη διάσωση των παραδοσιακών ναυπηγείων. «Να σώσουμε την καρδιά της ναυτικής παράδοσης, του πολιτισμού του Αιγαίου, ως σημαντικό μέρος της εθνικής μας κυριαρχίας» σημείωσε η κ. Μοροπούλου. Το σχετικό ψήφισμα έχει στηριχθεί από το Οικονομικό Φόρουμ Γυναικών και τη Διοικούσα Επιτροπή του ΤΕΕ και τώρα στηρίζεται από το Διεθνές Συνέδριο.

Η κα Μοροπούλου έστειλε μήνυμα ότι «περνάμε σε μία νέα εποχή» και συμπλήρωσε ότι «θα θυμάμαι πάντα ότι όταν δήλωσα πως ο Πανάγιος Τάφος είναι ζωντανός, αυτό έφερε 3 δισεκατομμύρια ανθρώπων, την ανθρωπότητα, να γονατίζουν μαζί μας μπροστά σε αυτό το μοναδικό μνημείο και για αυτό τον λόγο μπορέσαμε σε ένα σημείο τεράστιας διαμάχης να ολοκληρώσουμε το έργο της αποκατάστασης». Κλείνοντας η κ. Μοροπούλου είπε «γι’ αυτό ας κρατήσουμε τα μνημεία ζωντανά και αυτά θα παραμείνουν ζωντανά αν βρίσκονται σε επαφή με την κοινωνία».

Ακολουθούν τα κείμενα της Διακήρυξης της Αθήνας (στα αγγλικά), όπως συντάχθηκαν κατά τη διάρκεια των εργασιών στο 4^ο Διεθνές Συνέδριο TMM_CH (Transdisciplinary Multispectral Modelling and Cooperation for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage) για την Αντιμετώπιση Παγκόσμιων Προκλήσεων που διοργανώνει 7-9 Απριλίου στο Ίδρυμα Ευγενίδου, το Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο, σε συνεργασία με το Τεχνικό Επιμελητήριο Ελλάδας, υπό την αιγίδα του Υπουργείου Ανάπτυξης σε συνεργασία με το Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών.

ATHENS DECLARATION – CULTURE BASED CLIMATE ACTIONS

The world’s diverse cultures touch everyone, everywhere; encompassing the full range of voices, perspectives and tools to communicate urgency, mobilise action, and champion sustainable and justice-led ways of living.

Through cultural participation, safeguarding, dialogue, experiences, narratives, and stories; and through creative images, events and offerings, culture inspires action, especially when fortified by respect for cultural rights. Harnessing the power of diverse cultural values and ways of knowing, education and storytelling, art and craft, tangible and intangible heritage, and design and creativity can in turn guide and scale that action to create the systems change needed to tackle the twin climate and biodiversity crises.

Tangible and intangible heritage as well as traditional knowledge enhance resilience and offer time-tested, low-carbon, circular and regenerative technologies and solutions across sectors including the built and natural environment, agriculture, energy, and care for habitats and communities.

Anchored in shared human values of solidarity, care and respect, the collective effort of culture and heritage institutions and civil society such as Europa Nostra, ICOMOS and the Organization of World Heritage Cities, bringing together both professionals and volunteers, as well as scholars and holders of ancestral wisdom, enlightened policy makers, and communities and audiences, challenge dominant paradigms and offer visions and examples of sustainable futures, freed of reliance on fossil fuels, restoring biodiversity, and championing social justice.

Culture-based climate action promotes local solutions to universal problems, filling gaps in current climate planning through strategies that are inclusive, rights-based, place-specific, demand-side, and people-centred, within a framework that recognises the interdependence of all living things. Despite insufficient emphasis on the key role of culture in much official climate policy and funding, artistic and heritage voices are on the forefront of work for triple transformation (green, digital, and social), pursuit of 1.5-degree pathways, and systems change.

A persistent lack of formal policy recognition, however, undermines the vital contribution of culture and ultimately the effectiveness of global climate action. A “Joint Work” is a recognised process by which climate policy makers assembled at the Committee of Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change can request the UNFCCC Secretariat and its subsidiary bodies to jointly address a critical, gap issue – in this case the intersections of culture and climate action.

This decision would reflect a commitment from the UNFCCC to begin a consultative process to understand the full contribution of culture – including cultural heritage, arts and the creative sectors – to climate action. The process would examine what culture-led climate responses are already happening, where and by whom; share recommendations for scaling out culture-based solutions; and help ensure that culture is fully integrated into the future work of the Convention. Culture has unparalleled capacity to enable change.

This process would pave the way to the adoption at a subsequent COP of a landmark work programme putting culture and heritage at the heart of climate policy, planning and action. Such a future work programme would bolster attention to the socio-cultural enabling conditions for transformative climate action and support more effective mitigation and adaptation. At the same time, it would address critical issues of loss and damage to culture and heritage. Last but not least, it would support global efforts to put culture at the heart of climate resilient sustainable development.

Integrating cultural voices into international climate policy will elevate locally-led heritage, artistic and creative approaches that offer scalable solutions to the climate crisis. It will also better support the work of Indigenous Peoples who have long championed a culture of care for Mother Earth. All in all, it would enable the global cultural community, which is rich and diverse, to speak with one clear and united voice thus mobilising the global network of cultural, heritage, artistic and creative advocates, civil society, institutions and public bodies at all levels to support the UNFCCC in its vital mission.

To tackle climate change, we must unlock the transformational power of culture – from arts to heritage – to help people imagine and realise low carbon, climate resilient and just futures. We the under-signed gathered in Athens:

• Join the “Global Call to Put Arts, Culture and Heritage at the Heart of Climate Action” which asks delegates to the UN Climate Conference adopt a Joint Work on Culture and Climate Action decision that would finally put the world on the path to recognising culture as an indispensable pillar of a more effective and a more just climate action.
• Call on advocates for culture-based climate action to sign the Global Call. https://www.climateheritage.org/global-call
• Call on the European Union Member States and Institutions, especially the European Commission, to lead by example  putting culture and cultural heritage at the heart of EU’s climate agenda, and championing within the UNFCCC framework the objectives of the Global Call.
• Call on the Greek Government to join other national governments like Spain and Jordan in endorsing the adoption by the COP of a Joint Work on Culture and Climate Action.
• Applaud the inclusion of a thematic target on adapting cultural heritage to the risks of climate change in the Global Goal on Adaptation framework adopted at COP28 and urge national governments to adopt at COP30 effective and tailored indicators for measuring progress towards achieving this cultural heritage target.
• Emphasise the importance of  the including culture and heritage as a cross-cutting topic in all reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and in this regard, welcome the expanded coverage of culture and heritage in the outlines of the underlying reports to be produced by the IPCC as part of its Seventh Assessment Report cycle (AR7) of 2024-2029 and encourage heritage scientists and experts to engage in the preparation of these reports in all appropriate capacities including as authors and reviewers.

(WRITTEN BY EUROPA NOSTRA)

European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage

(UNDER HORIZON EUROPE)

This initiative by the European Commission aims to strengthen the preservation of Europe’s cultural heritage, contribute to climate neutrality, and foster innovation through interdisciplinary research. However, Greece’s participation is not guaranteed, and funding opportunities are limited to participating countries.

Greece, with its invaluable cultural heritage, faces severe impacts from climate change, including extreme weather events, sea level rise, and catastrophic fires. Participating in this international partnership would provide Greece with the opportunity to collaborate with other nations and organizations, developing and implementing innovative solutions, models, and strategies to protect and preserve our cultural heritage.

The partnership will enhance research, allowing Greece to engage in interdisciplinary projects, exchange knowledge and best practices, and contribute to new knowledge and sustainable solutions in cultural heritage, an area where Greece should be a leader.

The partnership will also establish a framework for cooperation and networking among academic and research institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations, businesses, and local communities. This will foster stronger relationships and new partnerships with other countries and organizations. Given the significant role of cultural heritage in promoting sustainable development, participation will enable Greece to highlight its contribution to social cohesion, economic development, and environmental sustainability.

Moreover, participation will unlock new funding opportunities for Greece through access to European funds and programs, enabling the implementation of critical projects for the protection, preservation, and promotion of its cultural wealth.

Greece has a vital role to play in this partnership. Our country’s rich history and unique challenges related to climate change and preservation necessitate our active contribution to and benefit from the Partnership’s objectives.

We urge you to support Greece’s strong involvement in the European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage. By collaborating, sharing expertise, and pooling resources, we can ensure the resilience and sustainability of our shared cultural heritage for future generations. Let us work together to make Greece a key partner in this essential European endeavor.”

ATHENS CALL TO SAVE THE TRADITIONAL SHIPYARDS

Traditional shipyards are acting as traditional shipyards not only for the production of the wooden ships required today for fishing, sailing and new tourism uses but also for ship repairing industrial activity which is very intense in the Eastern Mediterranean with emphasis in Greece.

In Greece, 300 traditional shipyards were developed and functioned the last 200 years. From these, only 60 to 70 survive till today even though the demand of industrial activities is augmenting. On the contrary, in our neighbor coasts, traditional shipyards producing new wooden ships for tourism, sailing and fishing uses are emerging, becoming significantly competitive. Institutional challenges, like the licensing of land use in the seashore, short term contracts at high prices are dramatically testing the viability of traditional shipyards all around Greece and mainly in the Aegean. traditional shipyards, which were proved resilient through the centuries and under threats like environmental stresses, wars and enemies’ attacks, are today deteriorating.

At this Conference concerned with the greening of shipping nowadays, apart from innovative practices to be adopted, a key point in the global movement towards sustainability is the revival of the traditional shipyards and the fusion of traditional shipbuilding and naval engineering leading to the wooden ships that Aegean, Mediterranean and the world need .Following the WEF and the TCG Call, the Athens Call from here today to Save the traditional shipyards addresses not only environmental concerns but also positions the traditional ship repair industry as key player for sustainability and responsible tourism, sailing, fishing and trade practices.