Belgium

Paul Dujardin is a leading cultural strategist and senior advisor on European affairs to the Flemish Minister of Culture and Welfare (Belgium). With decades of experience in cultural diplomacy, multilateral cooperation and inclusive governance, he has shaped policies and institutions across Europe, the Arab world and the Global South.

He serves as Commissioner-General for Heritage in the Brussels Capital Region, President of Europa Nostra Belgium, and Council Member of Europa Nostra. He also sits on the boards of Culture Action Europe—the leading European think tank for cultural policy—and the Kanal Pompidou Museum in Brussels, and is a guest lecturer and expert at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

Paul’s work spans continents and sectors, connecting heritage with contemporary creativity, civic resilience, education, social justice, urban development and international relations. Rooted in a cross-cultural family and a lifelong engagement with Africa, he approaches culture as a humanistic tool for equity, solidarity and dignity. Guided by the words of Toni Morrison—“If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else”—he dedicates his work to empowering communities, amplifying unheard voices and sustaining culture as a space for memory, meaning and shared humanity.

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.

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).

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.