Greece

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.

Ioanna Mikrou is a cultural heritage professional specialising in heritage conservation, research, project management and sustainable heritage-led development. Combining expertise in conservation practice, innovation and strategic development, she works at the intersection of cultural heritage, entrepreneurship and European cooperation.

She holds an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from ESADE Business School and a postgraduate degree in Monument Protection from the National Technical University of Athens, with a specialisation in conservation materials. She currently serves as Business Development Manager at Dalkafouki Oikos Ltd, a company dedicated to the development of ecological and compatible restoration mortars for monuments and historic buildings, where she contributes to advancing sustainable approaches to conservation.

Ioanna is a member of the Board of Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET), contributing to initiatives focused on the protection and promotion of Greece’s cultural and natural heritage. As an individual member of Europa Nostra and through her involvement with the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens, she actively participates in European heritage networks, including the European Historic Houses Association Next Gen Group, where she represents ELLET.

Alongside her professional work, she has contributed to research projects at the National Technical University of Athens in the fields of cultural heritage, digital innovation and heritage-led sustainable development. Her work includes the assessment of socio-economic impacts of development proposals rooted in cultural and environmental assets, strengthening interdisciplinary approaches to heritage evaluation and decision-making.