On Friday 23 September 2022, at 18:00 – 20:00, the DAISSy research group of the Hellenic Open University organized the Greek dissemination event of the results of the European project NICHE, entitled “Enhancing Entrepreneurship in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage”, at the hotel “Byzantino”, in Patras.

In the first part of the multiplier event, the team of NICHE project presented the objectives, the results of the project as well as the importance of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the professions mapped in the framework of the project, based on the ESCO platform. The NICHE project aimed to map the training needs and then train people employees in the intangible cultural heritage of their country. The NICHE online training programme with 10 modules, which was designed and offered to enhance entrepreneurship in the intangible cultural heritage sector, was also presented.

Important speeches by guest speakers on topics related to intangible cultural heritage followed. Specifically, Mrs. Eleni Kyrioti, Secondary Education Teacher and NICHE trainee, presented the stages of registration of a cultural element in the National Repository, the criteria and examples of intangible cultural heritage that she has identified in the island of Thassos.

From the city of Patras and its Carnival, Mr. Fotis Louridas, as a member of the longest-standing crew of a cultural phenomenon for the city, spoke about his experience and the importance of listing the Carnival of Patras in the National Repository.

Mr. Konstantinos Nikoloutsos, President of the Ilia Chamber of Commerce, made a brief reference to the project “PRONACUL – Cultural heritage as a lever for development”, stressing the importance of a common strategy for the management of cultural and natural heritage in the Adriatic.

The second part of the event, included presentations of two European projects in which the Hellenic Open University participates as partner. DAISSy – EAP researchers presented the BIBLIO project which aims the training of professionals working in libraries and the EUHeritage online course which is offered again in 2022 and registration is open! The EUHeritage project aimed to the training of professionals in cultural management.

The event was attended by 25 people from education and research sector as well as professionals from the field of culture.