Interview with Villy Fotopoulou

Interview with Villy Fotopoulou

Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports 

R.C.: What are the key messages of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that have remained fully relevant to this day?

V.F.: The key message of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage that was unprecedented at the time, and validated throughout these years, is that the communities should take centerstage in the safeguarding of their heritage. The bottom-up approach was and still is refreshing for all of us who work in the heritage sector and, more importantly, has been proven that is the main driver for empowerment of the communities of the bearers. Additionally, despite the fact that this is a twenty-year-old Convention, it still holds a dynamic that produces new projects, good practices and ideas regarding promotion, documentation and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

R.C.: Would you identify such trends in the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage as relate to the use of formal and non-formal education and are the result of educational policies and practices?

V.F.: In Greece we have taken major steps in introducing intangible cultural heritage to school/university projects and curricula and we are proud to say that, as demonstrated on the last Periodic Report, great progress has been made. ICH has been turned into a source of inspiration for teachers and students, leading to projects and good practices taking place throughout the country.

R.C.: Which are the highlights in marking the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the 2003 Convention and how do they relate to the dynamic changes in the political, cultural, social and economic contexts of the present day?

V.F.: Intangible Cultural Heritage is intertwined with many (should we risk saying all?) aspects of our lives. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, some patterns have emerged regarding the approaches taken for its highlighting during the years. We have seen projects on: ICH and climate change, ICH and education, ICH and sustainable development, ICH and tourism, ICH and emergencies, to name just a few!

R.C.: In what direction do you anticipate the future development of Regional Category 2 Centres in terms of the safeguarding, conservation and evolution of the living heritages?

V.F.: The role of the Regional Category 2 Centres is pivotal for enhancing collaboration among state authorities, academia, and communities active in the same broad geographic region. We would like to see more initiatives taken that will motivate all the above agents to work on common projects, and we are willing to contribute to this end with all our resources. 

R.C.: How your personal experience in communicating with intangible cultural heritage has affected your professional growth?

V.F.: Intangible cultural heritage, apart from initiating a new field for heritage professionals, requires also rigorous academic debate on several aspects of the ICH Convention implementation. During the last 15 years I have had the privilege to be involved in both practice and theory of it and I must say that I gained a lot. I have had the most fruitful collaborations with colleagues from all over the world working on joint files that resulted in inscriptions on the International Lists of the Convention. So, yes, my professional growth has been greatly and positively affected.