NOE - Patrimoine et prévention des risques naturels Interreg IIIc
PREFECTURE OF EASTERN ATTICA

GREECE
Molise
A ttica is the home region of the Greek capital, Athens. Actually, the area covered today by the Prefecture of Eastern Attica was, during antiquity, the site of the Ancient Polis of Athens. Attica is also rich in monuments. Ancient temples, small churches, oaks or chestnut woods, sanctuaries clinging to mountain peaks, miles of walks with stupendous panoramic views on sea and inland, which renders it a place of high historical and cultural heritage importance.

The heritage is a major stake of the cultural identity, of the economic and of the tourist regional development. In the event of natural disasters, it is the whole heritage which is affected due to lack of preventive strategies and urgency adapted plans. In order to be effective, the emergency measures must be carried out at the regional level in close co-operation with the various actors and decision makers.

The Prefecture of Eastern Attica through its participation in NOE project aims at developing strategic tools, innovating and multi-field approach in order to set up an interregional heritage disaster protection system and a catastrophe assistance intervention that could constitute good practice at national and international level.

Since the very beginning of the NOE project PEA proposed and achieved the implementation of two subprojects in Greece:
- DISMA project aims at the implementation of a GIS for the management of the disaster on the cultural heritage.
- ISR99 project is a strategic intervention for the restoration of the Byzantine church of Agios Petros following the earthquake of 1999 in Attica. The project aims to act as a pilot application, indicating the measures required in order to face and restore the damages caused in architectural heritage by earthquakes.

Both subprojects are lead by greek partners - the Centre for the Assessment of Natural Hazards and Proactive Planning of the National Technical University of Athens and the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art of Technological Educational Institution of Athens (TEI) respectively - and consist of a valuable partnership between different institutions from different European countries.

PEA as member of the Steering Committee of NOE project supervises the implementation of the subprojects and ensures the maximum dissemination of their results. The financial and scientific contribution of EU enhances the appreciation of the people to the cooperation between European countries in the quite sensitive field of the preservation of cultural heritage.

Leonidas Kouris
Prefect of Eastern Attica

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