Dr. Iuliia Eremenko’s Secondment at the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection

Dr. Iuliia Eremenko, an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw, has recently concluded a successful three-week secondment from April 1st to 20th at the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection (Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege) as part of the HERIEXPERT project. This research is part of the project No. 2021/43/P/HS5/02926 co-funded by the National Science Centre and the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 945339.

During her stay at the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection, Dr. Eremenko participated in several meetings to discuss new projects within World Heritage sites and their surrounding buffer zones. These projects included, for example, the construction of wind turbines and the construction of new buildings in the World Cultural Heritage zone. Through her work at the office, she gathered valuable information about citizen involvement in decision-making processes concerning heritage sites.

Dr. Eremenko also had the opportunity to visit several World Heritage Centers in Bamberg, Regensburg, and Weißenburg in Bayern. Together with World Heritage site managers, she visited several museum exhibitions related to the newly recognized World Heritage Sites of “Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment)” and “Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes.”

One of the most crucial aspects of her stay was the opportunity to engage with local citizens involved in various projects linked to the Frontiers of the Roman Empire across different Bavarian cities. These interactions, which provided valuable insights into community engagement and the social dynamics of heritage conservation, underscore the importance of local involvement in such initiatives.

In addition to these events, Dr. Eremenko participated in the meeting of World Heritage site managers (Arbeitskreis Welterbe) held in Passau on April 8. This important biannual event aims to exchange information about projects related to World Heritage sites and discuss strategic issues concerning their conservation.

The highlight of her secondment was her active participation in the Great Spa Towns of Europe Association General Assembly in Bad Kissingen from April 17 to 19, 2024, and an Urban Planning Workshop that preceded the General Assembly. This event, which gathered specialists in World Heritage from seven countries and eleven World Heritage sites, served as a platform for key decision-makers to discuss conservation and promotion strategies for European spa towns. This event was an important platform for professional networking and laid the groundwork for future research projects.

The stay at the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection provided a unique opportunity to develop the HERIEXPERT research project. It also offered Dr. Eremenko invaluable experience in decision-making processes related to the preservation and maintenance of World Heritage sites.