Visit of UAE’s Delegation to the UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage
On Friday, June 17, 2022, a Delegation of the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) specifically to the premises where the UNESCO and UNHCR Headquarters are located and operating since 2018.
The Delegation consisted of the Head of Government Services of the UAE Mohamed Bin Taliah and government officials Salem Belvouha, Salim AlShaami and Walid Tarabih accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr. Kyriakos. The Delegation was hosted by the Rector, Professor Panagiotis Zafeiris, Dr. Costas Hoppas, Director of Administration and Finance, Dr. Marinos Ioannidis, Director of UNESCO’s Head of Digital Cultural Heritage.
Dr. Ioannidis, during his presentation, informed the attendees about the work done by the two Chairs in the Digital Cultural Heritage. He also referred to the relations and possible synergies and collaborations between the two countries in matters of digital transformation and innovation.
Then, the holder of the Chair of the Single European Area in Digital Cultural Heritage, Dr. Kyriakos Efstathiou, referred to the MNEMOSYNE Project and presented one of the case studies of it, the Antikythera Mechanism and how it can calculate the exact start of Ramadan for any year and suggested a collaboration of the project team with the Louvre Museum of the United Arab Emirates.
The members of the UAE Delegation expressed their interest in the great work being done in the Digital Cultural Heritage and the achievement of future collaborations. According to Mr. Kokkinos, timetables have been set for the conclusion of a memorandum of cooperation between the two countries in the coming months.