Workshop report | The Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment (SoPHIA)

The European Museums Academ [1]y met with the 'Harnessing Museums, Heritage and Education Network [2]' of PASCAL [3] on the 3^rd March 2021  to discuss the organisation of a joint webinar with the  SoPHIA- Social Platform for Holistic Impact Assessment [4].

SoPHIA aims to promote collective reflection with the cultural and political sectors in Europe on the impact and quality of interventions in the European historical environment and cultural heritage at an urban level to promote a holistic impact assessment model, indicators, and standards.

Participants were invited from PASCAL, which has an advisory role in the project, the European Museum Academy (EMA), SoPHIA EU Horizon project coordinating University -   Roma Tre, and the  Interarts Foundation in  Barcelona. Henrik Zipsane, Director of the European Museum Academy and PASCAL Associate welcomed all 14 participants. Josef Konvitz, Chair of PASCAL provided a brief introduction to that organisation.

Mercedes Giovinazzo, director of Interarts presented background information and rationale behind the SoPHIA project. The need to understand and describe the impact of interventions in heritage in a structured form has grown and was expressed by the European Commission when they made the call for projects under the Horizon 2020 program.

The partners in the SoPHIA project have worked systematically in a three-step process. The project commenced with a literary review concentrating on policy and academic literature around heritage interventions and impact measurement. The second step was producing a draft impact assessment model, which involved testing the draft model in 12 different situations in Europe [5], and the third step, the production of policy recommendations and guidelines. The model as a tool will only partially be a result of the project. Other results will be establishing a social platform for further use and development of the impact assessment model.

Mauro Baioni, a researcher at Roma Tre University presented the SoPHIA draft model which is structured within 9 elements as follows:

• Social capital
• Sense of place
• Well-being/quality of life
• Knowledge
• Strong EU and global partnerships
• Prosperity
• Attractiveness
• Protection
• Innovation

Each of these elements is sub-divided into different perspectives and can be described in both qualitative and quantitative aspects.

Following the presentations, the function and need for such a model like SoPHIA were discussed. It was mentioned that it is important to consider who will use this model in the future.  For example, is the model an academic product that will “only” be used in academic studies or will the model have a wider use? Will it be necessary to develop the model towards specific areas of use or can a general model be used as a’ select and choose’ list from which the user can take what is needed for a particular assessment description?

Elia Vlachou, a researcher from the European Museum Academy then presented a concrete case study that has been used for testing the impact assessment model. The BLUEMED project is a finalised EU-funded interregional project where Mediterranean maritime archaeological sites have collaborated aiming to the protection and valorization of the underwater natural and cultural heritage. The project involves fourteen partners from five countries, opening to the public seven (7) accessible underwater archaeological sites (AUAS), and establishing four (4) coastal Knowledge Awareness Centre’s (KACs) nearby, while ensuring at the same time the protection of the environment and biodiversity of the Mediterranean. In this way, it promotes a sustainable and responsible model for the development of diving tourism. and fosters new models of public/private partnerships at the European, national, and regional levels. Its interest resides in the combination of the cultural/environmental aspect, valorized by technological innovations and considering the economic perspective.

Elia showed how the impact assessment model has been used in a methodological structured way, and how the model has proved some overall strengths as well as opening up discussion when presented to stakeholder groups. In particular, some stakeholders had pointed out that the model may have been too detailed in some respects and needing development in other aspects. 

The workshop participants discussed the model as well as possible implementation issues, giving particular support for the idea of inviting representatives from local and regional authorities and stakeholders to ongoing workshops to discuss the applicability of the impact assessment model.

PASCAL hopes to reach out to the already existing participants in the Learning City Networks advising the SoPHIA social platform for the impact assessment model. It was stressed as important for the model to have as wide as possible ownership to ensure the relevance of the model.

Henrik Zipsane

SUMMARY

Agenda

• Welcome, who is who
• A short introduction to SoPHIA and the CH Impact Assessment draft model
• Discussion
• An example from the testing phase: BLUEMED as a case from the Mediterranean
• Discussion
• Preparing for a wider seminar

Participants

1. Henrik Zipsane, EMA/SoPHIA
2. Elia Vlachou, EMA/SoPHIA
3. Emek Yilmaz, EMA/SoPHIA
4. René Capovin, EMA
5. Josef Konvitz, OCDE/PASCAL
6. Rob Mark, University of Glasgow / PASCAL
7. Catherine Lido, University of Glasgow / PASCAL
8. Margaret McColl, University of Glasgow / PASCAL
9. Christopher Shepherd, PASCAL
10. Mauro Baioni, Roma Tre University / SoPHIA
11. Lucia Marchegiani, Roma Tre University / SoPHIA
12. Paola Demartini, Roma Tre University / SoPHIA
13. Flavia Marucci, Roma Tre University / SoPHIA
14. Mercedes Giovinazzo, Interarts / SoPHIA
15. Antonio Gucciardo, Interarts / SoPHIA
16. Alberto Cerezo, Interarts / SoPHIA