Insights from the second BCTHubs International Seminar

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has recently attended the second international seminar of the Blue Culture Technology Excellence Hubs in EU Widening Member States (BCT Hubs) project which took place in Sofia between the 7th and 8th November. This event, organised by the Balkan Heritage Foundation and the Center for Underwater Archaeology, commenced with an inspiring speech by Arch. Chavdar Georgiev, the Deputy Minister of Culture of Bulgaria.

Under the Horizon 2020 Program of the European Commission, the BCTHubs Project is committed to advancing research and innovation capabilities in the Blue Economy sector. Its primary focus encompasses Blue Culture Technology (BCT), underwater cultural heritage, scientific research, and tourism valorisation in Bulgaria, Greece, Malta, and Italy.

Despite the abundance of underwater cultural heritage sites in European seas, only a fraction of them contribute sustainably to society, cohesion, and growth. BCTHubs seeks to establish BCT excellence hubs, offering innovative solutions and products for the sustainable protection, restoration, valorisation, management, accessibility, and promotion of underwater cultural heritage. Each BCTHub serves as a collaborative platform, uniting stakeholders from the realms of Blue Culture and underwater cultural heritage, including research/academia, businesses, the public sector, and societal actors, following a quadruple helix approach. This concerted effort aims to enhance their capabilities and effectiveness, thereby raising the bar of innovation excellence in the sustainable Blue Economy/Culture within their respective regions. All initiatives align with regional or national smart specialisation strategies.