The Erasmus+ European project “The GLAMers”, coordinated by the Cyprus University of Technology, is holding its final event in Limassol on Monday, aiming at enhancing youth participation through digital actions in galleries, libraries, archives and museums during the pandemic crisis.
In his address at the event, organised by the UNESCO Chair for Digital Cultural Heritage, with the European project “Mnemosyne”, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Yiannis Toumazis said that through such initiatives, “we are getting closer and closer to the realization of our goal, which is none other than the exchange of ideas and expertise, as a springboard for joint actions on the basis of a stable framework of cooperation, which allows cultural institutions to interact and at the same time enhance in every possible way the range of their services to society as a whole”.
He also assured that the Ministry of State for Culture supports the efforts of the consortium of partners created through the project “The GLAMers” and expressed his satisfaction with the common path that exists with “important local and European actors as co-conspirators”.
Toumazis also said that we are at a time when technological developments are forcing us to join a well-structured framework of continuous training, which focuses on areas of digital skills and continuous updating in terms of the changing level of our scientific training.
He also thanked the young scientists who arrived from abroad “willing to share their knowledge and experience to further strengthen our scientific background”, as well as Cyprus University of Technology and its partners, and the Director of the UNESCO Chair for Digital Cultural Heritage Dr. Marinos Ioannidis.
CUT Rector, Professor Panagiotis Zafiris, said in his welcome address that the project brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM), youth organisations and cultural institutions from all over Europe.
He also noted that the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted important challenges for the cultural and creative sector, but also the importance of digital transformation and the role of youth engagement in ensuring the recovery of places of cultural interest such as galleries, libraries and museums.
Finally, he expressed his confidence that the project’s findings will be valuable for the cultural and creative sector, youth organisations and cultural institutions across Europe.
Moreover, Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides pointed out that Limassol is not only the economic capital of Cyprus but also the cultural capital, “a city of many cultural activities and with a cultural history of thousands of years”.
He also expressed his thanks to the work carried out by the UNESCO Chair for Digital Cultural Heritage, adding that the Limassol Municipality is working with the Chair for the digital preservation of the city’s history.
The importance of the European project was highlighted by the President of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Chrysanthos Pissarides, the Director General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the European Commission, Themis Christofidou, and the Vice President of the Limassol Cultural Organisations Coordination Council, Klitos Paisanos.
During the event, Memoranda of Understanding were signed between the Research Centre of Excellence “Eratosthenes” and the Limassol Cultural Institutions Coordinating Council.
The objectives of “The GLAMers” project are to provide a collection of good practices of youth participation as a means for the recovery of cultural institutions during the pandemic; to offer advice and training opportunities to support cultural institutions in their digital transformation through youth participation; to allow cultural institutions to implement and then assess digital activities involving youth; and finally, to map social changes in relation to attitudes, beliefs and behaviours amongst cultural institutions and youth.
Source: Cyprus News Agency