Heritage Awards Jury

Jacek Purchla is a Polish art historian and economist, Professor of Humanities, and a member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. Doctor honoris causa of the Lviv Polytechnic National University. He is the founder of the International Cultural Centre in Kraków, where he served as Director from its establishment in 1991 until 2018. Since 2018, he has held the position of Vice President of Europa Nostra.

He has founded and headed the Department of Economic and Social History and the UNESCO Chair for Heritage and Urban Studies at the Kraków University of Economics and holds the title of the Honorary Professor of this University. His academic focus includes urban studies, social and art history, and the theory and protection of cultural heritage. From 2016 to 2017, he served as President of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, and currently serves as the National Expert to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

Professor Purchla is actively involved in numerous organisations. He is the author of more than 600 scholarly publications, including several books translated into multiple languages.

Paul Dujardin is a cultural strategist and senior advisor on European and international cultural affairs. He serves as Senior Advisor to Flemish Minister Caroline Gennez, Commissioner-General for Heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region, President of Europa Nostra Belgium, and Member of the Council of Europa Nostra. Since August 2026, he has also served as Government Commissioner for the new KANAL–Museum, the new “Brussels-Pompidou-Centre” in Belgium.

With more than three decades of experience across cultural heritage, the arts, public policy and international cooperation, Paul has shaped cultural institutions and partnerships in Europe and beyond. As former Chief Executive and Artistic Director of BOZAR – Centre for Fine Arts Brussels, he developed European and international programmes connecting culture with education, public debate and diplomacy.

He chairs the Selection Committee for Conservation & Adaptive Reuseof the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards and serves on the board of Culture Action Europe. He also teaches cultural policy in Brussels. His work brings together heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, civic participation and international cooperation.

An architect and expert in territorial and urban planning, she has held senior leadership roles in Italy’s cultural heritage sector, combining expertise in conservation, public policy and institutional capacity building. Her career has been dedicated to safeguarding cultural heritage while advancing its role in education, sustainable development and community resilience.

She has served in senior positions at the Italian Ministry of Culture and at the Scuola dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali. From 2012 to 2020, she led the Superintendency for L’Aquila-Abruzzo, overseeing the post-2009 earthquake reconstruction programme and directing the restoration of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, recipient of a Grand Prix at the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards in 2020. Between 2020 and 2024, she headed the Scuola dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali, strengthening national and international research, professional training and innovation in cultural heritage management.

She serves on governmental technical committees for post-earthquake reconstruction and on the advisory and scientific boards of leading cultural institutions, including the Master’s programme in Cultural Heritage Management at Politecnico di Milano and the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica

Catherine Leonard is a heritage leader and international cultural relations specialist, serving as Secretary-General of INTO – the International National Trusts Organisation, a global network of heritage organisations dedicated to protecting and promoting places of historic, cultural and natural significance. With a background in modern languages, diplomacy and international cooperation, she has spent her career strengthening connections between heritage organisations and communities worldwide.

She joined the National Trust in 1999 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, bringing experience in international public and cultural relations. Prior to her appointment at INTO, Catherine led the National Trust’s international engagement, developing programmes such as the European Exchange Programme, the Arkell Youth Fellowship and the European Network of National Heritage Organisations (ENNHO). She has played a central role in supporting the creation, development and collaboration of national trusts and similar organisations across Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and beyond.

Catherine’s work focuses on building resilient heritage networks, strengthening civil society participation and supporting capacity development in response to shared global challenges, including climate change and the sustainable stewardship of cultural and natural heritage. Through international partnerships and knowledge exchange, she promotes collaborative approaches to heritage protection that empower local communities and organisations.

She serves as a trustee of the Czech National Trust Abroad, sits on the board of SMILO (Small Islands Organisation) and is a member of the Council of Europa Nostra.

Pavlos Chatzigrigoriou is a civil engineer, cultural heritage expert and digital heritage specialist exploring the ways technology can enhance the understanding, preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage. Combining engineering, conservation, research and community engagement, he works at the intersection of digital innovation and heritage practice to develop new approaches to documenting and sharing cultural memory.

He holds a background in monument conservation and environmental planning, as well as a PhD in Architecture focused on Digital Cultural Heritage. Following postdoctoral research at the University of the Aegean, where he also teaches Digital Heritage, Pavlos has developed expertise in the application of digital technologies to heritage documentation, management and public engagement.

More than a decade ago, he co-founded HERMeS (HERitage Management e-Society), a non-profit organisation dedicated to the digital documentation and management of cultural heritage. Through HERMeS, he has led and contributed to projects ranging from large-scale heritage inventories and 3D documentation to community-based initiatives and European cooperation programmes. In 2015, the organisation’s work received a Europa Nostra Award in the Research and Digitisation category, recognising its contribution to innovative heritage practices.

Since 2024, Pavlos has served as Managing Director and Scientific Responsible of the Historical Museum of Hermoupolis, where he has guided the development of the institution during its formative years. Under his leadership, a restored nineteenth-century mansion has evolved into a dynamic cultural space combining historical research, storytelling, education, digital technologies and community participation. His work focuses on strengthening the museum’s sustainability, expanding educational programmes, engaging new audiences and positioning it as a centre for cultural heritage knowledge and innovation in the Cyclades.

Mikaël Mohamed is a cultural policy expert and international relations leader specialising in cultural cooperation, heritage, public diplomacy and institutional development. As Director of International Relations at the Mucem – the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations in Marseille, France, he works to strengthen cultural exchange, international partnerships and dialogue across Europe and the Mediterranean.

He first held this position from 2013 to 2023 and resumed the role in 2025, following his appointment as Cultural Advisor to the President of the Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (2023–2024). Earlier in his career, Mikaël spent a decade with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, serving as Director of the Institut français de Tétouan in Morocco (2008–2012) and as Cultural Attaché at the French Embassy in Riga, Latvia (2004–2007).

With more than 25 years of experience, he has developed and led strategic initiatives that connect cultural institutions, communities and international networks. His work spans cultural policy, European and international cooperation, heritage, public diplomacy and regional development, with a focus on strengthening cultural ecosystems and fostering sustainable partnerships between territories.

Beyond his institutional roles, Mikaël is actively engaged in non-profit organisations promoting culture as a driver of social inclusion, civic participation and territorial development. Since October 2025, he has served as an elected Board Member of ICOM France, contributing to international dialogue on museums and heritage.

Simon O’Connor is a cultural leader, curator and composer specialising in innovative museum practice, public engagement and the creation of interdisciplinary cultural experiences. He was the founding director of the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), a pioneering literary art space whose distinctive curatorial approach has transformed the relationship between literature, heritage and diverse audiences.

Under Simon’s leadership, MoLI received widespread international recognition, including the Business to Arts Best Philanthropic Support of the Arts Award (2021), the IDEA Exhibition Design Gold Award (2021), a shortlist nomination for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award (2022), and a longlisting for the European Museum of the Year Awards (2022). In 2023, MoLI received the European Heritage Awards Grand Prix for its contribution to citizen engagement and awareness-raising, recognising its innovative approach to cultural participation.

Previously, Simon was the founding curator of the Little Museum of Dublin, an institution he developed from its creation in 2011 into an award-winning museum recognised as a European Heritage Awards/Europa Nostra Awards winner in 2016. Across both institutions, he has championed museums as inclusive spaces for storytelling, community connection and shared cultural memory.

Alongside his museum work, Simon is a composer with a background in contemporary music. A founding member of the influential Irish rock group The Jimmy Cake, he studied composition with internationally renowned composers Donnacha Dennehy and Kevin Volans, and his work has been released through the Ergodos label. His current creative projects explore connections between sound, sensory experience and cultural expression, including collaborations on queer club culture with visual artist Padraig Spillane and research into the relationship between scent and musical composition.

Ole Rikard Høisæther is a seasoned leader in Norway’s arts, heritage, and publishing sectors, known for his extensive experience, diplomatic skills, and strong network across cultural, public, and media circles. With a PhD in Art History and Classical Archaeology from the University of Oslo, he combines a deep scholarly background with decades of practical leadership in high-impact roles.

Currently, Ole Rikard serves as General Manager of The Foundation Militærhospitalet at Grev Wedels Plass and Secretary General of The Oslo Society (Selskabet for Oslo Byes Vel), where he champions Oslo’s cultural legacy. His career also includes leadership roles at prestigious publishing houses, such as Head of Publishing at Cappelen Damm and CEO of Orfeus Publishing, where he managed large-scale projects including significant works on Norwegian art, cultural heritage, and biographies. His professional focus includes managing mergers, acquisitions, and high-profile publications like the Edvard Munch Catalogue Raisonné.

In 2026, he was appointed Chairman of the Foundation of the Museum for Design and Applied Arts, and he also chairs the Foundation of the Military Academy.

He is Chairman of Europa Nostra Norway and a Member of the Council of Europa Nostra.

He has held governing roles, such as Vice Chair of The Foundation of Edvard Munch’s Studio and Chair of the Norwegian Archaeological Association. Ole Rikard’s literary contributions include authoring over ten books on Norwegian art and history, alongside numerous articles in national publications.
His honours include being named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London and receiving multiple awards from the Norwegian Non-fiction Writers and Translators Association.

Prof. Dr. Christian Hanus is a leading expert in sustainable cultural heritage, architectural conservation and the reconstruction of historic environments. As Scientific Director of the Research Lab Sustainable Cultural Heritage at the University for Continuing Education (Danube University Krems), he brings together research, education and innovation to address the complex challenges facing historic buildings and cultural landscapes.

Since his appointment as Professor of Building and Environment in 2013, with a focus on architecture and engineering, Christian has developed pioneering approaches to the preservation, adaptation and sustainable use of cultural heritage. His research explores the reconstruction of historic cities affected by natural disasters, including the development of implementation concepts for earthquake-damaged settlements and his coordination of the Scuola di Ricostruzione in Accumoli. He also specialises in the building physics, energy efficiency and long-term ecological and economic assessment of historic buildings through life cycle analysis (LCA).

Christian is the founder of the Centre for Architectural Heritage (2010), the Centre for Cultural Property Protection (2015) and the Sustainable Cultural Heritage Research Lab at Danube University Krems (2023). Through these institutions, he has established international research and teaching programmes that connect heritage conservation with resilience, sustainability and interdisciplinary innovation.

An author of specialist publications and a member of numerous scientific committees in Austria and internationally, Christian contributes actively to academic exchange and professional education across Europe.