What is ECHOPOLIS Conference 2018: Where the Nature and Culture Science, Policy and Business World Meets.

To celebrate the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, the non-profit organisation SDMed Observation, Planning & Ecoinnovation in collaboration with Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Dpt of Economics and Regional Development and the University of West Attica, School of Applied Arts and Culture,organise  the International Event entitled

“Nature and Culture-based strategies and solutions for cities and territories : an idea whose time has come !”

on November 26-28, 2018, in Athens, Greece. 

What is ECHOPOLIS Conference 2018: Where active on Nature and Culture-based initiatives, cities and regions meet.

The event is not strictly European. It is aiming at bringing together scientists and cities and territories from all over the world that plan or implement innovative nature and culture-based solutions, thus creating a world-wide forum of exchange of their success stories.  

However the Mediterranean region with its rich natural and cultural diversity, both terrestrial and marine will be very present ! The Event will host the MED Social & Creative community featured by TALIA (Territorial Appropriation of Leading-edge Innovation Actions), the Interreg-MED Programme’s horizontal project promoting the coherence and impact of modular projects addressing the topics of Cultural and Creative Industries and Social Innovation. The community aims at connecting social and creative innovators in the Mediterranean to consolidate and share new models of development. TALIA together with two other INTERREG-MED projects, BLUEISLANDS and ALTER ECO  will lead an impressive INTERREG-MED Session !

Furthermore, the Conference focuses on Maritime Spatial Planning due to the recent compliance in Greece of the European Directive 2014/89/EU that established a framework for MSP. The Conference recognises that MSP is also a creative social and cultural procedure that  enhances attractiveness of  marine spaces and especially of insular territories and communities. Insular territories worldwide are strongly encouraged to present their plans, initiatives, policies and success stories.  INSULEUR ( The European Network of Insular Chambers ) is besides Endorser of the Event. 

What is ECHOPOLIS Conference 2018 : A follow-up of ECHOPOLIS 2013 focusing on sounds as cultural heritage

In the context of this inter-disciplinary Event, focus will be put on intangible cultural heritage and its role in shaping cities and places. Thus, SOUNDSCAPES considered as part of natural and cultural heritage will be broadly discussed, also as a follow-up of the very successful ECHOPOLIS International 2013 & ECHOPOLIS National 2017 forums organised by SDMED in the past years.

The heritage and identity character of urban soundscapes and other landscapes ( lighscapes, nightscapes…) was recently fully recognized both in literature and in practice. An example is the inscription of the Jemaa El Fna Square on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage that has introduced or encouraged a new heritage register based on the consideration of oral expressions as they unfold in the urban space. More generally, sounds are part of the cities and the places, part of their sensorial landscape, of their identity. They are one of the urban markers, just like the visual landscape. Nevertheless, the relationship between soundscapes, heritage and attractiveness (including tourism) remains to be further explored.

The European Year is an occasion to reflect on the place that cultural and natural heritage occupies both in our lives and in territorial development and to often alert about the need to protect such unique values for the future generations. It is thus evident that nature and culture as an indivisible whole is an idea whose time has come ! This means that natural and cultural heritage should be recognized, understood, planned and managed together ! 

The Conference is addressing to scientists and practitioners from all the traditional disciplines dealing with natural and cultural heritage (territorial planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers, light and sound designers, geographers, historians, oceanographers…) but also to computer scientists/engineers, digital humanities researchers, creative industries-heritage professionals, museum specialists, human-computer interaction practitioners, and creative industries professionals. 

The event is endorsed by a series of relevant institutions (ICOMOS-GR, INSULEUR, several EGTCs etc.) and European projects (INTERREG-MED TALIA, BLUEISLANDS & ALTER ECO) and this list is growing !

Abstract submission deadline: June 30th, 2018 (extended)

Abstracts should have approx.300 words with 4-5 keywords and should be in English, French or Greek. They should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to the attention of the Conference manager.