5) Heritage Champions

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 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.

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’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.

She had studied at the University of Florence receiving a master’s degree in architecture. After that, she studied urban conservation at the International Centre ICCROM in Rome and she continued her studies at the School of Architecture of the University of Rome, from where she received a specialisation diploma in the restoration of monuments and sites

She continued her studies at the University of UWE Bristol UK from where she received a master’s degree in Town Planning. For 38 years she has worked for the Μunicipality of Nicosia and she has been the leader of the Nicosia Μaster Plan. The NMP bi-communal team, supported by international institutions, was working on the definition of a common planning strategy for the preservation of the cultural heritage of the divided city of Nicosia. Four of these projects carried out by our NMP team were awarded by Europa Nostra and for their overall effort for preservation they received The Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Later, having the position of the director of the Technical Services of Nicosia Municipality, she acquired remarkable experience in urban rehabilitation and the management of large-scale conservation projects. During the last six years, she has coordinated the Zaha Hadid project for Eleftheria Square, a major urban design project in the moat of the Venetian walls. Agni is working on a voluntary basis for the Bi-communal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and for the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia.

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.

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).

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.

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)