Blue Shield International, together with our partners, the Monuments Men and Women Foundation, the University of Nicosia, and the Hellenic National Committee of the Blue Shield are delighted to invite you to our 2026 Conference, General Assembly and Training Course in Athens, Greece, as we come together to celebrate 30th Anniversary of the Blue Shield, founded 6 June 1996.
Since the establishment of the Blue Shield in 1996, the organisation has gone from strength to strength. On this important anniversary, it’s a good opportunity for us to come together as a heritage protection community and reflect. Where have we come from? Where are we going? How can we better protect heritage in crisis for the next 30 years – and beyond?
Blue Shield 30 - The Past, Present, and Future of Cultural Property Protection
The event will consist of:
- 23 October – The Blue Shield General Assembly and site visit (Blue Shield Members and invited guests only)
- 24-25 October – Conference on Cultural Property Protection (Public), with participation from the Monuments Men and Women Foundation
- 26 October – Training Day (Blue Shield Members and invited guests only)
Cost
We are not charging for this event. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided as part of the event.
Who is invited:
- The General Assembly and training are intended for Blue Shield National Committees, National Committees Under Construction, the Founding Four representatives on the international board, and invited guests, including those looking at creating national committees. We welcome representatives from all the national committees (not just Presidents/Chairs). If you have not received an invitation and believe you should have, please use the contact form to let us know.
- The Conference is public and we welcome all those interested in cultural heritage protection.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
There is no cost for the events.
Download the programme: To Be Confirmed
Friday 23 October
VENUE: Acropolis Museum (south slope of the Acropolis, Dionysiou Areopagitou 15 Athens)
WHO: Members and invited guests only
09.00 AM Blue Shield General Assembly.
Hybrid. Link to be announced.
Simultaneous translation will be available into French.
PM Guided tour – New Acropolis Museum and Acropolis
We are trying to arrange a French-speaking tour and an English-speaking tour.
EVENING EVENT: Welcome Reception at the Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum, at the foot of the Acropolis.
THE EVENING RECEPTION IS FULLY BOOKED.
Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 October – Blue Shield 30 – the Past, Present and Future of Cultural Property Protection
VENUE: University of Nicosia (UNIC) Campus, Ellinikon development, Athens
The conference will be livestreamed.
WHO: General public – all welcome
PROGRAMME: TBC.
Estimated start 09.00AM. Estimated finish 17.30 on 24th and 17.00 on 25th.
The Programme is nearly finalised. See the Call for Papers for the last few spaces.
- We intend to publish a volume celebrating and advancing cultural property protection and the best proposals will be selected for the book.
- Blue Shield National Committees will be invited to prepare posters highlighting their work, showing the global activities of the Association. These will be available to visitors in the refreshment breaks, and we hope will also feature in the publication.
LANGUAGE: English. Simultaneous translation will be available into French.
EVENING EVENTS: TBC
Monday 26 October
VENUE: War Museum Athens (Rizari 2-4, Athens)
WHO: Members and invited guests only
PROGRAMME: TBC.
Estimated start 09.00AM
Estimated finish 17.00
LANGUAGE: English. Simultaneous translation will be available into French.
EVENING EVENT: Reception at the Association of Friends of Museums, Hypatia Building, Patision Avenue (Epirou 2)
THE EVENING RECEPTION IS FULLY BOOKED.
FINISH
The academic committee is interested in hearing from individuals wishing to present papers on cultural property protection (CPP): past, present, and future. The conference will chart the concept of CPP, an idea that has been championed by military theorists and strategists for some two and a half thousand years. It will review the present state of CPP, and look to the future of this critical field at a time when the world is witnessing widespread attacks against cultural heritage. What lessons can be learned from history? What current activities are most effective? What is coming that we need to plan for, and how can new technologies help?
The conference will be followed by a peer-reviewed publication.
Anyone interested in submitting a paper on one of the topics should complete the form and submit it to the email in the form by 12.00 noon (UK time) on Monday 20 July 2026. Presentations should be based on past or current academic research on, or practical application of, CPP in armed conflict. We are not looking for overview polemic contributions.
Unfortunately, we do not have funding available to support presenters’ travel to the conference. Papers of interest to the academic committee whose authors cannot attend the conference in person may, in collaboration with the author, also be considered for publication.
Papers must be presented and written in English or French. Each presentation will be 25 minutes long, followed by 5 minutes dedicated discussion time.
The Blue Shield General Assembly 2026 will be held on Friday 23 October estimated 09.00 – 12.00 (Eastern European Time (EET).
The Agenda will include:
- Approval of the Annual Report and financial information
- Updates from the Working Groups (Countering Trafficking, Underwater Conflict Heritage)
- Matters arising from the Fulfilling Potential Governance Review
- Voting for positions on the Blue Shield Board (Elected Members representing National Committees and President).
Blue Shield members are welcome to submit items for the agenda by contacting the Blue Shield Secretariat.
Papers will be circulated one month before.
Names and details of those standing for election will be circulated two weeks before.
It is our intention to stream the General Assembly to our members who cannot intend in person. Voting will be conducted electronically for all members using Election Runner (as normal), and will open at least 24 hours early for votes to be submitted (given time differences). Further information will be released neared the time.
23 October 2026
AM – General Assembly Venue
Acropolis Museum, south slope of the Acropolis, Dionysiou Areopagitou 15 Athens
Venue website: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en
PM – Guided Tour
New Acropolis Museum and Acropolis
UNESCO World Heritage website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/404/23
Evening – Reception
Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum, at the foot of the Acropolis.
PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED.
Venue website: https://www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr/
Venue address: Kallisperi 12 & Karyatidon Str., Acropolis 11742, Athens, Greece
24-25 October 2026
Main Conference Venue
The main event will take place at University of Nicosia (UNIC) Campus, Ellinikon development, Athens.
Venue website: UNIC ATHENS – https://www.unic.ac.cy/athens/athens-campus/
See more about: The Ellinikon
Venue address: No. 17, 29th Street
Elliniko 167 77, Athens, Greece
Find the directions to the campus on the UNIC website HERE.
26 October 2026
AM / PM – Blue Shield Training Day
War Museum Athens
Website: https://warmuseum.gr/en/
Venue Address: Rizari 2-4, Athens
Evening – Reception
Association of Friends of Museums
Venue Address: Hypatia Building, Patision Avenue (Epirou 2)
THE EVENING RECEPTION IS FULLY BOOKED.
Accessibility
Blue Shield International are committed to supporting accessible events. When you complete your registration form, please let us know how we can assist you.
Accommodation
Blue Shield International and the Hellenic Committee of the Blue Shield are working with Citi Travel agency. Through them we have arranged a very good rate at the Max Brown Downtown Hotel, Athens, for participants for our event.
Participants at the event can book a room for €125 per night, including breakfast and the city tax (€5 per night).
To access this rate, when you register you will be sent contact details for Citi Travel, who will manage your booking and secure the rate for you.
Greek currency – Euro
Money may be changed from any exchange office or bank, or you may use your credit card for payment.
Cards are widely accepted.
Travel from airport to Athens
Athens International Airport has many options to travel into the city centre. Public transport is cheap, trustworthy and easily available (see below).
Other options (including taxi recommendations) and costs are available on the airport website: https://athens-international-airport.com/airport-transfer-to-city/
It takes 40 minutes by taxi, train, and metro, and 60 minutes by bus.
Public transport in Athens
Athens has a public transport systems called Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA). The transport network includes the subway (metro), the tramways, the buses and the trolleybuses.
- Buy reloadable smart tickets / reloadable smart cards under the name ATH.ENA TICKET and ATH.ENA CARD respectively for public transportation at the ticket counters or the automatic ticket vending machines.
- A new alternative option is contactless payment using either physical (plastic) or virtual (NFC-based like Apple Pay wallet or Google Pay wallet in smartphone or smartwatch, without having to pre-purchase the ticket. This applies to the full fare products (Urban and Airport Tickets ): 90-minute €1.20, 24-hour €4.10, Airport Express Bus €5.50, Metro €9.00. See more here.
Airport:
- The ticket for the Airport Express Buses is valid for one journey from or to the airport. It may be purchased at all ticket vendors.
- The Metro tickets for the route to the Airport are valid for 90 minutes and allow travel within this period, by all means of transport except for Airport Express Buses and the buses of line X80.
Which is the most appropriate ticket for you
Load ATH.ENA TICKET or ATH.ENA .CARD with a product that best suits your needs.
24-hour Daily Ticket
• Unlimited travel around the city
• Unlimited boarding on bus of X80 line
• Does not include Airport fare euro 4,10
3-day Tourist Ticket
• Useful for a short stay in Athens
• Unlimited travel around the city for 3 days
• Unlimited boarding on bus of X80 line
• (1) ride from and (1) ride to the Airport by Bus on Express Lines X93 / X95 / X96 / X97 or the metro euro 20,00
5-day ticket
• Unlimited travel around the city for 5 days
• Does not include Airport fare euro 8,20
ATH.ENA CARD for a longer stay
Load your ATH.ENA CARD with any product you want and/or monetary value up to €50 that gives you access to public transport at any time without having to worry about tickets or coins.
OFFERS
2-single ticket pack
€2,30
Personalized Card | Anonymous Card | Ticket
Discount 2-single ticket pack
€1,00
Personalized Card
5-single ticket pack
€5,70
Personalized Card | Anonymous Card | Ticket
Discount 5-single ticket pack
€2,50
Personalized Card
10+1 single tickets
€12,00
Personalized Card | Anonymous Card | Ticket
Discount 10+1 single tickets
€5,00
Personalized Card
If you need an invitation in order to receive a visa, please indicate this when you register, and you will contacted in order to send an invitation letter.
For more information on visas, see: https://www.mfa.gr/en/services/visas-for-foreigners-traveling-to-greece/
Organising Committee
Partners and Funders
This event takes place under the auspices and with the support of the Ministry of Culture.
