Jury & Selection Committee

Sorina is a cultural manager with a strong background in cultural heritage and the NGO sector. She has developed expertise in areas such as cultural heritage management, project coordination, youth and volunteer engagement, museum education, and art history. Passionate about heritage-related writing and reporting, she is dedicated to promoting the value and visibility of cultural heritage. Sorina is deeply committed to enhancing public awareness of heritage’s importance in everyday life and sustainable development.

Since December 2020, she has been part of the ESACH (www.esach.org) coordination committee for the European Heritage Youth Ambassadors Programme and currently serves as the President of the Network. Additionally, she represents the Cultural Association “Patrimoniu pentru Viitor” (www.patrimoniu-viitor.ro)

Slavica Vujović is a renowned conservation architect with a distinguished career in cultural heritage preservation. She graduated from the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, in 1983 and completed a specialist exam in conservation in 1988. In 2013, she earned her PhD from the University of Belgrade with the dissertation “Modern Doctrine Improvement in Built Heritage Preservation – The Centuries of Bač Project Experience.”

Dr. Vujović began her professional career at the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Kraljevo (1984–2002), focusing on Islamic architecture in the Raška region and church architecture during the Ottoman period. Since 2002, she has served at the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Petrovaradin, where she leads heritage-based local development initiatives. Notably, she is the initiator and manager of the Integrated Protection Project of the Heritage “Centuries of Bač”, encompassing the Bač Fortress, the Franciscan Monastery of Bač, and the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Bodjani.

Her international contributions include participation in the Council of Europe and European Commission’s Regional Programmes for Southeast European Heritage (IRPP/SAAH) and membership in the HEROMAT Project, coordinating provincial institute activities. She has served as President of the Society of Conservators of Serbia (2002–2006), is a member of ICOMOS Serbia, and is actively involved with Europa Nostra Serbia.

Dr. Vujović has received multiple awards recognising her outstanding work, including the Great Award of the Society of Conservators of Serbia and the Europa Nostra Award for the Bač Fortress, highlighting her exceptional contributions to architectural conservation and heritage management.

Lesia Voroniuk – Founder of World Vyshyvanka Day, renowned Ukrainian cultural curator, and Ph.D. in Political Science. An expert in Ukrainian cultural heritage and head of the NGO World Vyshyvanka Day, Lesia has implemented over 70 projects in Ukraine and abroad, including documentaries, books and art albums, exhibitions, workshops, fashion shows, diplomatic receptions, large-scale educational campaigns, festivals, and reconstruction initiatives. She is a 2022 European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards laureate (winner in the category “Citizens Engagement & Awareness-raising” and the Public Choice Award).

Born in Lisbon on September 23, 1952, Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins is the Executive Administrator of the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, a position he has held since November 2015. He has served in numerous leadership roles across cultural, academic, and public institutions in Portugal and internationally, reflecting a lifelong dedication to public service, education, and cultural heritage.

He currently holds several prestigious positions, including President of the Grand Council of the Centro Nacional de Cultura (2016), Full Member of the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa (2022), Full Member of the Academia de Marinha (2014), Academic of Merit of the Academia Portuguesa da História (2015), and Corresponding Member of the Academia Brasileira de Letras (2021). He also serves as a Visiting Professor at Universidade Lusíada and at the Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas (ISCSP), President of the Curators’ Council of Universidade do Minho, and President of the Advisory Council of Banco Português do Fomento (2024).

His distinguished public service career includes serving as Minister of Education (1999–2000), Minister of the Presidency (2000–2002), Minister of Finance (2001–2002), President of the Tribunal de Contas (2005–2015), and leadership roles in national and European institutions, including EUROSAI and the Council of Europe. He also presided over the Steering Committee that developed the Faro Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage in Contemporary Society (2005).

Throughout his career, he has been recognised with numerous national and international honours, including the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ, Grand Officer of the Order of Infante D. Henrique, Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain), Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil), and Officer of the Legion of Honour (France), among others.

Deniz Özdiren was born in 1998 and is an emerging heritage professional from Cyprus, currently completing her Master’s in World Heritage Studies in Germany. With a background in architecture, she has expertise in conservation, adaptive reuse, community engagement and heritage storytelling.

She has co-organised heritage projects across Cyprus, Italy, Romania and Germany, serves as a coordination member of ESACH, and volunteered for five years with the bi-communal Technical Committee of Cultural Heritage in Cyprus as a Heritage Youth Ambassador. Deniz brings a thoughtful perspective to the Selection Committee, supporting the recognition of exemplary European heritage initiatives.

He is a member of the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH) and a Young Member of Europa Nostra.

Marc Wingens was born in 1964 and studied Cultural History at Utrecht University, earning his PhD from Erasmus University Rotterdam in 1994. He became Director of Erfgoed Gelderland in 2006, supporting around 260 heritage organisations in the Dutch province through consultancy, advocacy and capacity building.

Marc serves as a Council Member of Europa Nostra, sits on the board of OPEN, and participates in national heritage boards. He has contributed to heritage awards and grant evaluations, including the Gelderse Roos Prize, the Brabant Heritage Award and the Mondriaan Fund. Together with his husband, Rudolf Burggraaf, he has promoted heritage awareness among UNESCO school students since 2017.

Vincent Curie was born in 1975 and has over 20 years of experience in EU project management, specialising in civic engagement, democratisation and culture. He is Director of the European Heritage Label Bureau, overseeing projects that promote heritage recognition and European identity.

Vincent has worked across both the public and private sectors, gaining experience in diverse operational approaches. He participates in European and national heritage boards and committees, and has contributed to the evaluation of heritage projects, awards and grants.

Karla is a graduate of Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Law, and of Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where she completed her Master’s degree in Arts, Culture, and Society.
Upon her MA, she has gained knowledge in Qualitative and Quantitative Research that she has applied in various individual and group projects within the topics of Creative and Sustainable Cities, Cultural Policy, Sociology of Culture and Critical Heritage Studies. Her research interests span across various disciplines, looking at the intersection of the human with its surroundings. From urban development and gentrification processes to heritage as a catalyst of social well-being, she aims to explore how these dynamics play a role in society and in the individual. She has been active in the cultural scene through volunteering, but also within bottom-up initiatives such as an animation film festival that she co-founded this year in Cluj-Napoca.

She had the opportunity to present her MA thesis at two international conferences, the Arts and Cultural Management Conference 2024 in Vienna and the II Conference of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies: Central and Eastern Europe Chapter at the University of Warsaw in 2025, aiming to continue her studies in the future.

She is a member of the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH) and a Young Member of Europa Nostra.

Ira Vihreälehto is a cultural heritage professional, educator, and author with over two decades of experience advancing education, participation, and awareness in Finland and internationally. Since 2015, she has served as Executive Director and Senior Advisor at the Association of Finnish Cultural Heritage Education, where she has led more than 30 national and international projects. Her work combines creative placemaking, intergenerational learning, and digital tools for intangible cultural heritage, including the widely translated Spinner of Living Heritage (available in 14 languages).
Vihreälehto manages training programs for teachers, develops pedagogical resources such as Kulttuurin vuosikello—a digital heritage learning platform that reached over 116,000 users in 2024—and represents the association in multiple expert groups. She is also active in communication and outreach across media, from blogs to social platforms and educational video projects.

Alongside her leadership work, Vihreälehto is a non-fiction and textbook author and host of a TV series on Finland’s national broadcaster YLE1. Her contributions to cultural heritage were recognised with the Europa Nostra Grand Prix, the European Union’s most prestigious cultural heritage award, in 2018 for the project Kulttuurivoltti.
Before her current role, Vihreälehto spent nearly two decades as a teacher and teacher trainer, specialising in history, social studies, psychology, religion, and special education. She holds a Master’s degree in History from the University of Jyväskylä, with additional qualifications in special education, psychology teaching, principal training, and ADHD counselling.
She is an appointed expert in several national and European cultural heritage bodies, including the Finnish World Heritage National Coordination Group, the Living Heritage Expert Group (2018–2026), and the European Heritage Label Expert Group (2022–2026), nominated by Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture.

Francesco Trovò is an architect (IUAV) with a PhD in Conservation of Architectural Heritage from Milan Polytechnic. He served for many years as an official architect at the ABAP Superintendency for the Municipality of Venice and its Lagoon, where he took on various coordination roles, including the UNESCO site “Venice and its Lagoon” and was responsible for the restoration of important public buildings in Venice.

He is an associate professor in Architectural preservation at the University IUAV of Venice. He carries out study and research activities on historical buildings in Venice, Cultural Heritage and climate change. He has participated in international conferences and is the author of several scientific publications. He sits on numerous scientific committees of journals and is a member of associations dealing with Cultural Heritage, such as Green Building Council Italia and ICOMOS Italia.

She is a cultural heritage researcher and practitioner with international experience across museums, archives, and heritage organisations. She is about to begin doctoral research at La Universidad Pública de Navarra, Spain, as part of the Horizon Europe-MSCA CHORAL programme, where her work will focus on textile heritage in rural and mountain environments, exploring both material and intangible dimensions.

Alongside her academic work, she has built a strong professional portfolio through roles with leading cultural institutions. She serves as Programmes Officer at the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage, curating a webinar series. As a Community Outreach Projects Intern at the International Council on Archives in Paris, she contributed to initiatives supporting heritage in Africa and Ukraine, while also helping to organise the ICA Barcelona Congress 2025.
Sophia’s earlier experiences include placements at the Jewish Museum London, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, the Imperial War Museum, and Young V&A, where she gained expertise in provenance research, collections care, exhibition development, and community engagement.
In 2024, she was selected to participate in the Executive Leadership Programme: Engaging Communities in Cultural Heritage, a prestigious summer school organised by the Heritage Management Organisation in Greece. This further strengthened her leadership skills and commitment to participatory approaches in cultural heritage.

Sophia holds a BA in History from the University of East Anglia, an MA in Museum Studies (Distinction) from UCL, and an MA in Urban History and Culture from the University of London Institute in Paris.

She is a member of the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH) and a Young Member of Europa Nostra.

Oskar Habjanič earned his degree in history and philosophy from the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), in 2003. He went on to complete a master’s degree in metaphysics at the same university in 2010.
He works as curator at the Maribor Regional Museum. He co-founded and leads several museum programs, including Date with Heritage, Neighbours under the World’s Oldest Vine, and Museoeurope. He has curated multiple international exhibitions and collaborated with esteemed institutions such as the Bavarian National Museum (Munich, Germany), Universalmuseum Joanneum (Graz, Austria), the Pontifical Swiss Guard (Vatican), Alimentarium Food Museum (Vevey, Switzerland), the Peasant Museum (Bucharest, Romania), the Franz Liszt Museum and Research Centre (Budapest, Hungary), Burgenland Regional Museum (Eisenstadt, Austria), Museum of the Benedictine Monastery in St. Paul in Lavanthal (Austria) among others.

He is the co-author of the concept for the Museum of the Oldest Vine in the World. His work focuses on integrating inclusive heritage into museum programming, with a special emphasis on connecting heritage with small enterprises and gastronomy. He is the author of more than 150 scientific and professional articles in the field of cultural history, and co-organised six international symposia.
In 2016, he received a residency scholarship from the Universalmuseum in Graz (Austria), and in 2025, the Inclusive European Heritage Residency at Hardwick Hall was organised by Europa Nostra and the National Trust.

Before joining the museum, he worked with underprivileged youth and served as a freelance journalist, reporting from Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Turkey and Xinjiang (China).

Since May 2022, Yonca Erkan has held a full-time position as Professor in Heritage Studies at the Faculty of Design Sciences, University of Antwerp. Her research focuses on the intersection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century industrial heritage, World Heritage, and urban history.
Previously, she served as a member of the UNESCO National Commission and vice-chair of the Tangible Cultural Heritage (2011–2014). Between 2015 and 2024, she held the UNESCO Chair on Management and Promotion of World Heritage Sites: New Media and Community Involvement at Kadir Has University.

In 2018, she worked at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre as a senior consultant, coordinating the World Heritage Cities Programme and the Historic Urban Landscape Recommendation. She also coordinated the EU H2020 MSCA RISE CONSIDER Project on Sustainable Management of Industrial Heritage as a Resource for Urban Development (2021–2024).

Lidija Martinović (born 1997, Cetinje, Montenegro) is a visual artist and conservator-restorer whose work bridges fine arts, conservation-restoration and museology. She completed her undergraduate studies in Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Montenegro (2015–2018), including a semester at the Faculdade de Belas Artes in Lisbon through the Erasmus programme, and earned her Master’s degree in Conservation and Restoration of Applied and Fine Arts at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad in 2021, with a thesis on the conservation of chromolithography of Herzegovinian Slaves.

Currently pursuing a PhD in Art History at the University of Belgrade, specialising in museology and heritology, Lidija combines academic research with practical conservation work. She has participated in numerous regional conservation and restoration projects and was awarded the 2018 University of Montenegro Annual Award for Best Drawing. Her professional interests focus on the conservation of paintings and paper, documentation, and the role of museums and archives in safeguarding cultural memory.

Dorottya-Lilly Makay (born 1971, Cluj County, Romania) is a civil and structural engineer specialising in built heritage conservation, with over 30 years of experience in heritage protection and structural design. She holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, focusing on Baroque roof structures, and completed early international internships with ICOMOS UK (1996) and US/ICOMOS (2003), enhancing her expertise in historic structure research and conservation.

Her career bridges academia, professional practice and heritage advocacy. Since 2018, she has been an Associate Lecturer at “1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia and previously taught at Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca on historical load-bearing structures and built heritage conservation. Professionally, she has led projects as administrator, project manager and structural engineer at IROD M Ltd. (founded 2003) and CONSOLIDEM Ltd., covering restoration of historic monuments as well as civil and industrial constructions.

Dorottya-Lilly has contributed to over 350 technical assessments and more than 360 restoration and reinforcement projects, including St. Michael’s Church, Cluj-Napoca (European Heritage Awards/Europa Nostra Award, 2024) and Calvaria Roman Catholic Church (Europa Nostra Award, 1998). She has published widely, presented at international conferences, and lectured in heritage protection training programmes. Actively involved in NGOs and committees for heritage preservation, she works with the Kelemen Lajos Association for Monument Protection, the Transylvania Trust Foundation, and other national and local historic monument committees.

Pablo F. Longoria is an architect and urban planner specialising in cultural heritage conservation and restoration. He earned his Master’s in Architecture and Urban Planning from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid in 1993 and has since led landmark projects safeguarding some of Spain’s most treasured monuments and historic sites.

As Executive Director of World Monuments Fund Spain, he has overseen major initiatives including the restoration of the Salon Rico in Medina Azahara, the Partal Oratory at the Alhambra, the Chapel of San Blas paintings in Toledo Cathedral, and the management plan for the Roman Aqueduct of Segovia. He has also led innovative projects such as the Virtual Reality conservation study of La Garma cave in Cantabria, recognised by Forbes as one of the world’s most notable VR projects.

Beyond his executive role, Pablo is an international educator and scientific director, contributing to UNESCO’s City Lab on Historic Urban Landscapes, ILUCIDARE capacity-building programmes in Cairo and the Caribbean, and numerous academic forums on heritage, architecture and sustainability. As an independent consultant, he has advised on global heritage projects, including Heritage Impact Assessments in Kazakhstan, Bahrain and Uzbekistan. A long-standing member of ICOMOS, he continues to combine scholarly insight with hands-on expertise, shaping both policy and practice in cultural heritage preservation worldwide.

Rūta Leitanaitė is a Lithuanian architect, cultural policy expert, curator and lecturer with over 16 years of experience in architecture and cultural heritage. She is Creative Director and Board Member of the Architects Association of Lithuania (AAL) and, since 2023, Chair of the National Council for Architecture of Lithuania, advising the Ministry of Culture on architectural quality, heritage protection and cultural policy.

She is a member of the European Commission’s expert sub-group Safeguarding Heritage in Ukraine, contributing to strategies for securing and documenting heritage assets, guiding quality reconstruction, and preserving cultural identity in post-conflict recovery. From 2021 to 2023, she served on the Executive Board of the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) and continues to chair its Task Force Solidarity with Ukraine, coordinating the Creative Europe project UREHERIT: Architects for Heritage in Ukraine. She has also led initiatives under the New European Bauhaus, including Holistic Renovation of Modernist Housing and NEB LAB Public Infrastructure for Ukraine.

An Independent Expert for the EU Mies van der Rohe Award since 2011, Rūta has extensive experience evaluating architectural and heritage projects. She also promotes public engagement with cultural heritage as host of the national radio programme We Need an Architect.

Flora Bacquelaine Vidal de Llobatera holds a PhD in Humanities, Heritage and Cultural Studies. Her work integrates cultural management, project evaluation, university teaching and research in cultural studies. She coordinated the Culture and Tourism Commissions of the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Euroregió Pirineus-Mediterrània until 2024.

She currently contributes to the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya’s research project “Franco’s Regionalism from Catalonia: Centripetal Practices and Discourses” (PID2021-125227NB-I00) and serves as a collaborating lecturer in the Master’s Degree in Cultural Management at UOC-UdG. Flora’s career bridges academic research and practical cultural policy, supporting initiatives that promote heritage awareness and public engagement.

Marine Mizandari has co-chaired the National Trust of Georgia since 2017. With 30 years of professional experience, her career spans scientific research, senior management, and heritage project implementation across Georgia and Europe.

She served as Deputy Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia (2012–2014) and has advised the government on strategic heritage policies. Marine combines scientific expertise with policy experience to strengthen cultural heritage management and public engagement, supporting initiatives that preserve and promote Georgia’s heritage.

Victor Boye Julebæk, Ph.D., is an accomplished architect and academic who combines a deep theoretical foundation with practical experience. He studied architecture at both the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, grounding his approach in the rigorous architectural traditions of Denmark and Switzerland.

He serves as an associate professor at the Royal Danish Academy and is head of the Master’s Programme for Cultural Heritage, Transformation, and Conservation. In his teaching, research and practice, there is a focus on both the theoretical and the hands-on, applied perspectives of the conservation and transformation of architectural heritage with an emphasis on material practices, cultures, and ecologies.

Dr. Jermina Stanojev is a policy and research expert and lecturer in cultural heritage and international cultural relations. She serves as an individual expert to the European Commission expert group on cultural heritage. Dr. Stanojev has extensive experience in policy development, evidence-based research, and the implementation of international projects. She has collaborated with institutions such as Uppsala University, KU Leuven, Una Europa, UNESCO, Europa Nostra, the European Commission, and Goethe-Institut Brussels. Her work focuses on culture-led policy development to address global challenges through various governance frameworks.

Dr. Stanojev co-chairs the EIT Culture & Creativity Strategic Topic Group on Cultural Heritage in Green and Digital Transitions for Inclusive Societies. She advises on cultural heritage in international relations within the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance in the Western Balkans and supports the EU Strategy for International Cultural Relations.

She is an expert advisor to the European Heritage Green Paper and a member of the CHARTER advisory board. She co-authored the report “Skills, Training and Knowledge-transfer in the Traditional and Emerging Heritage” from the Structured Dialogue with the European Commission. Additionally, she serves as an expert assessor for the European Urban Initiative – Innovative Actions – New European Bauhaus projects, vice-chair for the Creative Europe programme, and a European Heritage Awards jury member.

Professor Alex Torpiano is currently Dean of the Faculty for the Built Environment of the University of Malta, a position he has held for the last 16 years; he has served as Head of the Department of Building and Civil Engineering, 1988-1999, 2007-2011, as Head of the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, 2011-2016, as Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Design, 2016-2020, and Acting Head of the Department of Visual Arts, 2021-2022. Het set up and served as Director of the Institute for Masonry and Construction Research between 1994 – 2009. He is currently a member of the University Senate, (since 2008), and has served as a member of the Council of the University between 2009-2021.

He is a member of the Board of the Institute of Sustainable Energy and of the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development. He has served as Chairperson of San Anton School, between 2000 and 2009; as President of the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers, 1994-1996, 2017-2019, as Chairman of the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee 1995-1996, 2000-2001, as member of the Periti Warranting Board between 1999-2001 and since 2009. He has also served on the Eurocodes National Implementation Committee since 2002. He is currently the Executive President of the National Trust of Malta, Din l-Art Helwa.

Prof. Dr. Christian Hanus, born in 1974, is the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Arts, and Architecture at Danube University Krems (DUK), where he also leads the Department of Building and Environment. After completing his studies and doctoral work at ETH Zürich, specialising in monument preservation and sustainable architecture, he joined DUK in 2007 and became a professor in 2013.

At DUK, Prof. Hanus developed the “Refurbishment and Revitalization” program, focusing on restoring historical buildings with a sustainable and multifaceted approach. He has organised annual summer schools on heritage conservation and led various national and international research projects, including the European Heritage Awards Archive. He is actively involved with Europa Nostra Austria, contributing to its conferences and publications, and serves on the Industrial and Engineering Heritage Committee.

His expertise extends to advising UNESCO and the Austrian government on World Heritage properties, including assessments for sites like the Historic Centre of Salzburg. He also founded the “Center for Architectural Heritage and Infrastructure” and the “Center for Cultural Property Protection,” emphasising heritage conservation, reconstruction of earthquake-damaged historical towns, and international collaboration on cultural property protection.

Riin Alatalu is the Vice-President of ICOMOS, an Associate Professor of Cultural Heritage and Conservation at the Estonian Academy of Arts, and Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in Heritage Studies at the same institution. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the Estonian Heritage Conservation Council and is an active member of various ICOMOS groups, including the Rights-Based Approaches Working Group, CIVVIH, ICLAFI, ISC20C, and the European Heritage Label Panel.

Alatalu has held leadership roles in the Estonian National Heritage Board, the Tallinn Culture and Heritage Department, and the Ministry of Culture. She earned her PhD in 2012 with a dissertation on “Heritage in Transitional Society: From Nation’s Conscience in the Estonian SSR to the Harasser of the Private Owner in the Republic of Estonia.”
She has been deeply involved in initiatives like the Urban Agenda Dissonant Heritage Working Group and has been a strong advocate for preserving and contextualising dissonant heritage in Estonia. Alatalu has organised numerous courses and lectures on the topic.

Her campaigns include the Estonian National Cultural Heritage Year 2013, European Cultural Heritage Days, Visit Baltic Manors, and other awareness-raising activities. She has successfully fostered collaboration between decision-makers and the wider public to promote cultural heritage preservation.