May 26, 2026 | June 26, 2026
Cyprus | Nicosia

In the framework of the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2026 in Nicosia, ALIPH – International alliance for the protection of heritage and Europa Nostra will present the outdoor photo exhibition “Portraits of Women – Beyond the Stones”, which they have jointly produced. This exhibition showcases women at the forefront of protecting cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, from Cyprus, Greenland, Italy, Malta, Ukraine, Iraq and Yemen. The exhibition will be displayed from 26 May to 26 June at the Park under Eleftherias Square in Nicosia. Representatives from Europa Nostra and ALIPH will officially open the exhibition on the evening of 29 May at the Summit Networking Event.

This engaging exhibition highlights women working daily, as professionals or volunteers, to safeguard cultural heritage threatened or damaged by conflict, the impact of climate change and disasters. These women — architects, archaeologists, site guardians, museum curators, artisans, art historians as well as conservators — are on the frontlines to preserve not only monuments, sites, museums, religious buildings, collections, but also intangible heritage. Their expertise, dedication and courage are a testament to the resilience of humanity and the enduring power of culture.

The photo exhibition spotlights eight exceptional women: Inge Bisgaard (Greenland), Susy Galeone (Italy), Simone Mizzi (Malta) and Lesia Voroniuk (Ukraine), who received the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards for their extraordinary contribution to preserving cultural heritage in their city, region, or country; and Ceren Kurum (Cyprus), Natalie Neophytou (Cyprus), Rana Bashar (Iraq) and Khadija Mahdi (Yemen), who have been partners of the ALIPH Foundation, implementing critical on-the-ground projects to protect cultural heritage at risk in countries impacted by climate change or in crisis due to armed conflicts.

The outdoor photo exhibition “Portraits of Women – Beyond the Stones” is organised in the framework of the activities of the #Women4Heritage network coordinated by Europa Nostra under its network project Europa Nostra Heritage Agora, which is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.